Devils or Angels?
by Aiddon Raziel Valentine
Summary: xover with FFVII. While doing her duties once again in Manhattan, Aya has several runins with a strange, androgynous man who says that they're very much alike
1. Default Chapter

Chapter One Meeting an Angel

The entire building was secured. Many SWAT and FBI cars were outside, looking at the place. A car pulled up and a large black man with a prominent mustache came out. He wore a brown suit and a black tie.

"Captain Dollis." said one agent.

"Yeah, that's me."

The black man shook hands with the agent.

"Agent Samuel," the agent said "I doubt I need to tell you what was responsible for this."

"Yeah, no shit."

"What happened was an NMC that was obviously some sort of dog came into this dining establishment around nine o'clock this morning."

"When were the SWAT and agents deployed?"

"Approximately twenty minutes after the attack."

"It took that long?"

"Well, the owner used a payphone down the street and traffic was rather bad."

"Ah. You guys take care of it?"

"Well, that's the odd thing."

"What was?"

"It seems that someone already took care of the NMC."

"Who coulda done that?"

"We don't know, but there was a witness to the matter. He's over by that ambulance."

"Alright."

The two men walked over to an ambulance. There was a young, white man drinking coffee and shaking horribly.

"Sir." Dollis said.

The man jolted.

"Sorry," Dollis apologized "I'm captain Daniel Dollis of the NYPD, I would like to ask you a few questions."

"Everyone's b-b-been asking me questions."

"I'm sorry, but could you describe the incident. Uh, what's your name?"

"D-Dave."

"Well, Dave, could you describe what happened?"

"A-alright."

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The diner was busy as usual. Many people were getting some coffee or anything before work and the rush-hour. Dave was at the counter, eating some eggs. Then in walked a rather odd man. He was rather tall and slender and wore all black. He had a highly androgynous face and long, silver hair with odd bangs. His eyes were the real feature though, glowing and a mysterious, mystic green. The man then took a seat and ordered something.

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"What made you notice this man?" Daniel asked.

"He had a sort of air about him, like a magnet. Every chick was looking at him like a new diamond ring and the guys were glaring at him like daggers."

"Odd."

"Yeah, plus that hair of his was something really weird. He couldn't be much over thirty and his hair was long and bright silver."

"Anyway, continue."

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A screech was heard and suddenly everyone was getting out of the diner. A horribly deformed dog with huge claws and multiple limbs went crashing through. Slaver dripped from its mouth and it growled threateningly. Dave was too scared to move and just stared. Everyone was already out but Dave just stared and stuttered. The monster dog then began walking towards him and he backed up against the wall. The dog growled and looked at Dave with hungry eyes. Dave closed his eyes and prepared for the end.

WHAM!!

Dave opened his eyes and wondered what the reason behind the sudden sound was. He felt liquid drip on his face and then looked up. The dog's head was pressed up against the wall above him with a pale hand with long, skinny fingers doing it.

"You happened to ruin my meal." said a deep, silky voice "Now you die, you disgusting chimera."

Something metallic was then heard and suddenly the dog's head had been run through. The creature gave a gurgle and died. Dave looked nervously at what had happened. His eyes became fixated on a very long, thin blade. His eyes traveled down it and then he saw a very pale hand holding the handle of a very long samurai sword. He then saw that its owner was the odd man with the silver hair. He pulled his blade out, blood splashing everywhere and then split the dog in two as it fell. Dave nervously scooted away from the creature and then touched the man's legs. He was then even more nervous and scooted away even faster from the man.

The man then looked at his long, beyond-razor-sharp blade. It had no blood on it for some odd reason despite the fact that it cleaved that menacing creature in two. The man then began to chuckle. Dave was thinking that he was in the same room with some demented maniac. The man stopped chuckling and looked at Dave.

"Tell me," the man said "are you frightened of me?"

"Wh-what?"

"Are you frightened of me?"

"F-f-fuck yeah."

"Heh-heh, excellent, excellent, I should be."

The sword in the man's hand vanished and he cracked his knuckles.

"I thought this would be a boring place, but I suppose it is not." he simply stated.

He then walked right out and into the street.

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"Wait a minute," Daniel said "he actually pressed that thing against the wall with his bare hand?"

"Y-yeah, I've never seen anything like it."

"How long was that sword of his?"

"About as long as he was tall."

"And how tall was he?"

"Over six feet."

"What was his build?"

"Really skinny, he couldn't be over a hundred and sixty pounds."

"Damn."

"Are there any more questions?"

"No, I think we got everything."

"A-alright."

Daniel went over to the agent."

"What do you think?" he asked the agent.

"It is odd. We won't be able to tell until an autopsy is done, but the NMC was definitely killed with a blade."

"I dunno, bringing a blade from outta nowhere is strange. He even said the blade was six feet long."

"The man's build is strange too. He was said to weigh not much over one hundred-sixty pounds."

"It is weird."

The two of them then went into the diner to check things out. Daniel saw the tarp covering the NMC corpse and various people taking pictures of the area.

"Damn, there's blood everywhere." Daniel said.

"That's not the most frightening thing about this." said an agent.

The man extended his hand.

"Agent Mathews." he said.

"Pleasure. What did you mean earlier?"

"This isn't the only time an NMC incident has ended this bizarre."

"What's that mean?"

"There have been multiple incidents within the last six months. Some NMC infested areas have been wiped clean before agents or law enforcement got there. What was really strange were the bodies of the creatures."

"What about them?"

"They showed signs of electrocution, burns, freezing, crushing, and were usually cut with a very sharp blade."

"Waaaaaiiiiiiit, are you telling me that this same guy did this?"

"It's a possibility. Any cameras and evidence he was there was destroyed however."

"Damn."

"If it is this man, it would explain why there were many hand and foot prints embedded into walls."

"What?"

"Apparently whoever did this has enough strength in his limbs to leave imprints in extremely sturdy substances."

"Daaaaaammmmn."

"We also found several long, silver hairs. However, a DNA test brought nothing up."

"That's weird."

"It's like the guy doesn't exist. I hear MIST wants to talk to this guy."

"Aya sure would like to hear that."

"Oh, you've kept in touch with Agent Brea?"

"Yeah, she just moved back to Manhattan."

"That's intriguing."

"Yeah, she's a bit more easy-going now."

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However, Aya was getting ready for an assignment late that night. She was putting her gun in her holster when she heard someone next to her.

"Going out again?" said a voice.

Aya turned around and saw Eve. The girl had grown quite a bit over the last few years. She was now about Aya's height and looked almost exactly like her except her hair was a bit longer. She was wearing jean shorts and a sweater. Aya smirked.

"Yeah, I gotta go out again, work." she said.

"You've been putting in a lot lately."

"I suppose."

"You used to be out a lot less when you were with Kyle."

"Well, let's just say my job isn't exactly fit for having relationships."

"Which is why I'm avoiding it."

"Smart move."

Eve chuckled.

"I guess I can't expect you back tonight." she said.

"No, though school isn't too far."

"True, I could walk there."

"Well, I'll probably be asleep. You remember where the key is right?"

"Yeah, I know."

"Alright then, bye."

"Kick some butt."

Aya gave a thumbs-up while she left and then headed down. She came to her car and got in, starting it. She took out her cell phone and listened to a dispatcher.

"Sounds like some more mindless freaks, oh well." she said.

She eventually came to a multi-storied mall. Many cars and SWAT vans were already outside but no one was going in. Aya got out of her car and flipped her badge to an officer.

"What's going on here?" she asked.

"Well, we brought SWAT in, but…."

"But?"

"Well, it seems it's not needed."

"I beg you pardon?"

"Something is already killing most of those things. The SWAT pulled out since it looked like whatever was in there was doing just fine."

"Ugh, how incompetent."

"That's what another one of you Hunters said."

"Another one is in there?"

"Yeah, a bald, black man with a mustache carrying a huge magnum."

"Must be Rupert. I'm going in anyway, I can't have something unknown and dangerous running around."

"Suit yourself."

Aya went into the building. Then she saw what had happened. The entire room she was in was littered with NMC corpses and blood. Every corpse was eviscerated and ripped to shreds. Aya thought she had seen everything but this was something she never expected. She then heard gunfire from the floor above her.

"Rupert!"

She quickly ascended the stairs and kicked open the shaft door. She pointed her gun around and slowly continued. She heard more gunfire and then heard an impact sound. Then she saw an object come flying and slam into a wall.

"Rupert!"

Aya went to the older man's side. He had a few bruises and looked very injured. He weakly opened one eye.

"H-hey." he said.

"What the heck happened?"

"Seems I ran into our little visitor. He's one fast bastard though, I couldn't get a single hit on him."

"Are you hurt badly?"

"No, nothing is broken or bleeding."

"Alright, just rest there while I check up ahead."

Aya left Rupert's side and advanced forward. She saw what had happened. There was a miniature crater where Rupert was more than likely slammed into and several bullet holes in the walls, floor, and ceiling. She then saw something intriguing. She kneeled down and picked up a metallic object.

"A bullet." she said "But it's been cut in two."

She then heard sounds of fighting nearby. She heard more slamming and some sounds of various things being cut. She quickly ran over to where it was happening. However, she was too late. She did, however, see the aftermath. Whatever was tearing through the place was leaving devastation in its wake. More NMCs had been sliced like meat and burned like wood. The smell was so unbearable that Aya had to cover her nose.

"What the hell is going on?"

She then kept moving. In the next room she saw a flash of black and kept running. She then burst through the next door and saw a figure slowly walking along a corridor.

"Freeze!"

The figure stopped and then turned its head slightly.

"Well, another user of firearms." said a deep voice.

"Who are you?"

"Names are irrelevant. Though, I could assume you are a comrade of that man who was firing at me needlessly a moment ago."

"You did that?"

"Yes, he wasn't much of a challenge."

Aya eyed the man's weapon. The weapon was a long, thin sword.

"Weird weapon," she said "drop it and slide it over."

"Not possible."

"And why is that?"

"I need it and there is a rather violent creature behind you."

"Huh?"

The man then extended an arm and a bolt of electricity came out. Aya barely dodged it and saw the bolt connect with a mutated rat behind her. She looked back to where the man was but he had vanished. Then she felt a very strong presence behind her and hot breathing down her neck.

"You know," the man said "it is rather difficult to fight multiple opponents. You must keep your eyes on them and you can only fight one or a few. I can suppose this is why they made firearms."

Aya was nervous. She painfully tried to force her eyes to see the man's face.

"However, there is quite a bit of skill lost due to firearms. I suppose that's why I prefer blades, they require far more skill and dexterity."

Aya took a chance and put the barrel of her gun under the man's chin and fired. However, she only heard the bullet embedding itself in the ceiling.

"Impressive." she heard a voice to her right say.

Aya looked and saw the man who was behind her now standing a mere five feet away from her.

"That's impossible." she said.

"Is it? Then how can I be here and not lying on the floor behind you?"

"I-I don't know."

"Well, that must mean I am swifter than a bullet."

A blast of some sort then ripped through the area, blowing a large hole in a wall.

"Hmmm, seems some animals have been released." the man said.

He then ran into the next room as nothing but a black blur. Aya raced to the end of the hall and to the entrance to the next room. While she was running she heard man slashes seemingly piercing flesh and no gunshots. By the time Aya saw what was going on, she was surprised. All she saw was the aftermath but even that was astounding. It seemed to be an NMC the size of a gorilla sliced into ribbons. The man had an extremely long, black lacquered sheath in his right hand.

"How in…?" she wondered.

"Does something trouble you, milady?"

"How did you do that? How did you kill an NMC with nothing but melee weapons?"

"Because it is my skill."

Aya then noticed that the area behind the man seemed to waver like a desert mirage.

"Damn! Knight GOLEM!" she cursed.

The man was a bit confused but then saw the large, imposing figure behind him in body armor with long limbs. However, he blocked the first blow with his arm and then struck the huge opponent with a kick. The GOLEM was now on the ceiling, embedded a few inches within the plaster. The man snorted.

"How annoying." he said.

With a swish of the man's long, leather coat he continued on with Aya becoming more surprised as the day went on. She followed him as swiftly as he could, hearing his ridiculously swift slashes and chaotic behavior and she followed. Not once had she seen an NMC alive in this man's wake. Eventually she came to another large room and saw the man dealing with several NMCs by himself. One shot tentacles at him but he merely sliced them and then showed the creature his palm.

"Mystic flames, burn this abomination, Fire."

The creature then began to burn from flames that had appeared out of nowhere. Aya gasped and then switched her attention to and NMC bearing down on her. She quickly aimed and fired into the creature's skull quickly and accurately. It hit the ground before it was within a foot of Aya and seeped bodily fluids onto the ground. She pointed her gun at the man.

"Get down." she warned.

The man ducked as Aya fired her last bullet into the NMC behind the man, getting the creature between the eyes. Aya saw something flying towards her and she caught it. The object she held in her hand was a submachine gun.

"It's a wise decision to have the best equipment available." the man advised.

"Tch, I could blow you away with this."

"I highly doubt that."

The man kneeled by a creature and examined its body, his green eyes observing every detail.

"Hmm, this creature seems to have mechanical and other strange objects in its body." he noted "Is this a sign that this is not a creation of a god but of man?"

"Yeah, it's an ANMC."

"What in blazes is that?"

"Artificial Neo-Mitochondrian Creature."

"Oh, a monster then."

"Yeah, and you've been hacking up ones that are just natural mutations."

"Ah, so that's what they are."

The man switched his view to a window.

"Is that natural, or unnatural?"

Aya wondered what he was talking about when something smashed through the window. Aya brushed glass from her hair and saw an NMC that barely fit in the room.

"That's natural." she said "It looks like a severely mutated lizard."

"Interesting, this should amuse me."

The man stood tall and took his blade in both hands, readying for a fight.

"Hey." Aya said.

"What?"

"This is my job, so just stay out of it."

"Tch, suit yourself."

The man propped his unusually large blade against a wall and leaned against the damaged plaster. Aya cocked the submachine gun and aimed. She unloaded into the creature, causing blood and skin to splatter everywhere. The creature screeched and shot its tongue at Aya. She managed to evade but it took her a moment to regain herself. The creature swiped at Aya but she stepped back, having her jacket cut in the process. Aya unloaded the rest of the clip into the creature and cursed when she heard the click of the clip being empty.

"The problem with firearms," the man commented "they always run out of bullets."

Aya drew her pistol and began firing again, this time just for the head. Still, the creature refused to die.

_"What is this thing made out of?"_ she thought.

"Do you want me to kill this beast for you?"

"No, I'm fine."

The truth was, Aya was anything but fine. Her ammo was spent and there was no way she was going to try and strike the NMC with her tonfa. She knew there was only one way to defeat the creature and she liked it the least. Although, at least this guy was strange enough so it wouldn't matter that much. Hell, this guy had already set an NMC on fire so what was the point of keeping it a secret? Aya readied herself and concentrated. Her body temperature began to rise at an unusually high rate and began to sweat heavily. The man raised an eyebrow and then widened his eyes when he saw the NMC burst into flames. Aya breathed heavily and the man chuckled.

"What's so funny?" Aya gasped.

"I see now."

The man walked over to Aya and kneeled down next to her, smirking and narrowing his cold, green eyes.

"You're just like me." he finished.

"What are you talking about?"

The man cupped her chin with his long fingers and looked into her eyes, green meeting blue.

"We're both monsters." he said simply.

Aya was a bit too worn from her fight to respond to that. She then merely passed out and rested her head against the man's shoulder. The man merely smirked and picked Aya up as though she were a doll.

"Sleep, sleep, one who is like me."

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The police and federal officers were getting rather worried. It had been over an hour since Aya had entered the building and the last sign of any activity was when a loud crashing sound was heard. Suddenly, one of the officers saw someone exit the building. It was the silver-haired man, carrying Aya over one shoulder and Rupert on the other. The officers slowly lifted their weapons at the man as he approached. He set Aya and Rupert down when he was within ten feet of the officers. One of them had a megaphone out and was using it.

"Put your hands behind your head and turn around slowly!" the officer ordered.

The man merely sighed and turned around, walking away.

"I said put your hands behind your head!" the officer ordered again.

"Be quiet and stop barking, you pathetic dog."

"What!?"

"I don't believe you went in there to face those creatures, so be quiet and stop attempting to order me around, it's rather pathetic."

Everyone tensed up as the man turned his head slightly and revealed his blazing green eyes.

"Tend to these two before you try to order me around, adieu."

In a swish of black and silver, the man disappeared into the night.


	2. The Angel Has a Name

Chapter Two The Angel Has a Name

Aya had gone back home early in the morning. The police were unable to catch the man and he had seemed to vanish. Aya thought it was a bit odd to not be able to find a man with silver hair and dressed in black. That man's words still bothered Aya, to an extent. Monster? That man was the monster with those glowing, green eyes and that odd smirk that seemed to hunger for battle. The way his blade had moved was beyond human and the fact that he could even use it was illogical. No, that man was worse than a monster, he was a devil.

"Hey, Aya." Eve's voice said.

Aya sat up in her bed.

"Eve, shouldn't you be in school?" she asked.

"It's Saturday."

"Oh, right."

"You've been moody ever since you got back from that one job. What happened?"

Aya rolled onto her side.

"Don't wanna talk about it." she responded.

Eve jumped onto her sister's back.

"C'mon, speak." she said.

"No, and when'd you get so heavy?"

"Hey, I don't even weigh one-twenty."

"Well enjoy now, because that metabolism is gonna go downhill once you're an adult."

"Yeah right, you're thirty-one and you're thin as a stick."

"Don't remind me."

Aya then grew tired of her sister and flipped her onto her belly in an instant and got her in a headlock.

"Hey! No fair!" Eve pleaded.

"You pissed me off, so suffer."

Aya then began tickling Eve.

"Hahahahaha stoppit!!!"

"You asked for it!"

The two of them eventually rolled off the bed and landed on the floor, Aya hitting first.

"Ow." she groaned.

"I think we learned our lesson."

"Yeah."

Aya's cell-phone rang she picked it up off her bedside table and looked at it.

"It's Pierce."

Aya answered the phone.

"Hey." she greeted.

"Hey Aya, come down to the MIST center, the weapons department just made one helluva weapon."

"Why do I hafta see it?"

"Well, they figured they'd test it out with you since you're, uh, resilient."

"Alright, I'll be there."

Aya closed her phone and got up.

"Pierce insists I do something for him, I'll be back in an hour or two." she said to Eve.

"Alright, have fun."

"I doubt I will."

Aya put on her jacket and boots before she slipped out the door, grabbing her keys. She headed down the stairs to the garage and started her car. The radio droned as always and she turned it off, preferring her CDs. She pulled out into the street and began enduring the drive to MIST in New York traffic.

"Dammit, I should find a new apartment, but Eve doesn't want to change schools plus it's too expensive." she mumbled to herself.

After about an hour's commute, Aya came to the MIST building. She entered, flashing her badge to the guard and going into the offices.

"Hey Aya!" said a blonde man with sunglasses and a ponytail.

Aya smirked.

"Hey Pierce." she greeted.

"So I take it the traffic was bad?"

"Not horrible, but the commute could always be shorter."

"I don't understand why you don't just take the subway."

"I don't like going through places that smell of cigarettes and booze."

"Ah."

Aya looked around.

"I don't see Jodie anywhere." she said.

"She's on maternity leave, you know that."

"Oh yeah, I'm in and out so I keep forgetting. I just find it a bit hard to believe that a guy like you could ever have a kid."

"And what is that meant to imply?"

"I'm not implying anything, I'm saying it straightforward."

"Unrelenting as always."

"Anyway, what's this new weapon you want me to check out?"

"Let's just say you might be in a bit of awe."

Pierce led Aya down hall and to a room with many guns and other sorts of strange weapons. Some were prototypes while others were only slightly modified version of others. Aya then noticed a scientist in a blue jacket typing away at a computer. The black-haired man adjusted his glasses and kept typing.

"Maeda, what are you doing in Weapons?" Aya asked.

The Japanese man turned around and gave a grin.

"I come her occasionally." he responded "Mostly just to see how that special ammunition works on other weapons."

"Ah. Speaking of which, Pierce said something about me testing out a new one they got here."

"Ah, one minute."

Maeda strolled over to a large case and picked it up, though it seemed to be an uphill battle.

"Uh, you need some help with that?" Aya asked.

"N-no, I have got it."

Maeda set the case down on a table, panting.

"This is the most advance and unorthodox weapon MIST has made." he explained "It is very powerful but very hard to wield."

Maeda opened the case, revealing a weapon Aya had seen before, though in the hands of her enemy.

"That's…!"

The case held that odd gun/sword hybrid she had seen No. 9 use on her when they last fought. The hilt was an enlarged revolver handle with a blade as the barrel.

"That GOLEM soldier used this." she stated.

"Yeah, MIST got interested and decided to make one." Pierce explained.

Aya picked up the unusual weapon, hefting it.

"It's a bit heavy." she commented.

"The entire thing is made of titanium alloy for resilience. The shells are shotgun shells that hold anti-mitochondria."

"Isn't that a bit punchy?"

"The blade is ultra-high frequency so be careful were you swing it."

"Neat."

Aya dropped it onto the metal floor and then the blade buried itself to the bullet chamber. Aya merely stared.

"Whoa." she gasped.

"Yeah, it's really sharp."

Aya picked up the odd weapon and swung it, hearing it singing due to its sharpness.

"Watch it!"

Aya accidentally swung right through shotgun standing up.

"I-I didn't even feel it slice the metal." she said.

"I told ya it was sharp."

Aya stared in awe at the blade.

"Why is there a blade on this anyway?" she asked.

"It's used for close-quarters combat when you run out of ammunition." Maeda explained.

"Man, I could slice an NMC in half with this."

"Yes, sort of reminiscent of a katana or nodachi."

Then Aya was reminded of that silver-haired man. She put the weapon back in the case.

"It's impressive, maybe I'll try it out next time I go out." she said.

An alarm then blared through the office.

"Well, speak of the devil." Pierce said.

"Ugh." Aya groaned.

"Well, you said you'd try it out."

"Alright, I'm on it."

Aya grabbed the case and headed out the door, getting the information on the location.

"Hmm, Chinatown, this should be interesting."

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Meanwhile, a certain silver-haired man was in a restaurant eating orange chicken. He heard several screams and looked out the window.

"Hmph, everyone is always screaming in this blasted city." he mumbled.

He heard a crash and then looked out the window again.

"Oh, more of those creatures."

He smirked.

"This should entertain me somewhat. Though I do find it a bother that they always show while I'm trying to eat."

The man stood up and walked outside, ignoring the people who were running from a rather large dog who was dripping slaver. The man whistled to the dog.

"Over here."

The monster charged, its jaws wide. However, the man sidestepped the creature and sliced the beast's head of with a single stroke. He shouldered his nodachi and sighed.

_"Far too mediocre.__ I need something powerful, something strong."_

A mutated bird appeared behind the man and he stabbed it without even looking at it.

_"Oh well, at least this is more interesting than most things in this worlds. Though those odd animated shows do pique my interest."_

A rat attempted to bite the man but he waved his hand.

"Fira."

The rat exploded in hot flames and turned into ash. The man felt a presence and ripped through an abandoned building's wall, hearing something hit the ground on the other side.

"Tch."

The man then felt a presence, something he had felt the other night.

"Ah, I was wondering when she would come."

The man ran down the street, merely a black blur in the place.

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Aya had parked her car near a blockade and quickly gone in. Apparently she was the only MIST member in there because of the severity of the situation. She had a bandolier across her chest with extra shells and the gunblade in her hand. She raced down an abandoned street and saw the first of the NMCs. Finger on the trigger, she aimed the heavy weapon at the creature. A great bang was heard and then Aya saw the huge hole that she had made in the beast. She stared at the weapon.

_"Jesus Christ, why didn't they just give me a grenade launcher? This thing hardly has any kick though, or is that just me?"_

Aya was assessing the weapon as a cat sneaked up behind her. She managed to turn around and use the blade. The cat was sliced in two as easily as it were paper.

_"This blade may be a bit too sharp, to think I can cause injury and death so easily."_

CRASH!!!

The loud sound alerted Aya to an alley that had many NMCs running out of it.

_"The hell…?"_

The sound of boots on the concrete was heard as well as metal dragging alongside a wall.

_"Great, he's here."_

Aya's acquaintance appeared from the alley, blade at his side. The man swiped his sword to remove the blood from it and looked at Aya.

"It seems you also find yourself wherever these beasts may be." he said.

"Hey, I do it 'cause it's my job, why do you do it?"

"For fun."

"I was thinking you were going to say that."

The air behind the man seemed to distort.

"Watch out!"

The man reacted just in time so his arm wasn't severed. However, the sleeve to his coat was torn open.

"To remove its presence and then manage to scratch me, impressive." he said.

"This is not time to be impressed."

"I suppose not."

The man readied his blade, bringing it to eye level.

"I shall deal with this one." he said to Aya.

"Hey, I can take him myself."

"You can deal with the crowd behind us."

"Crowd?"

Aya looked over her shoulder and saw several NMCs. She sighed.

"Alright, I'll take care of the NMCs and you can take the GOLEM." she said to the man.

"Very well."

The man charged the GOLEM, blade raised. The GOLEM activated its laser-blade arm and swung it at the man. He pressed his hand against the back of his nodachi and parried the blow.

_"Hmm, a great deal of strength, let's see how swift it is."_

The man leapt over the GOLEM and then swung his blade and the creature's back. The GOLEM blocked the blade.

_"Hmm, adequate agility and intelligence.__ Perhaps this shall entertain me a bit more."_

The man turned around and faced the GOLEM, going into a stance. The GOLEM brought its blade up and crashed it down onto the man's nodachi, driving his feet into the concrete slightly. The man sighed and pushed back the GOLEM with a mighty shove. The man went for another blow, whirling with centripetal force and aiming for the heart. However, the GOLEM managed to evade his blow.

The man smirked and dragged his blade on the ground, sparks flying. He dug the sword in deeper and then swung upwards, causing the street to rip open and create makeshift projectiles. The GOLEM was struck by several chunks of concrete and rock but merely grunted as the rock hit it.

The man, despite not liking using such a tactic, slashed the GOLEM's arm and caused a deep gash. The GOLEM was then struck in the chest with a powerful kick and the sound of cracking bones was heard. The GOLEM collapsed, its mind wanting to go forward but its body unable. The man sheathed his sword and began walking away. However, the GOLEM got up and started walking towards the man.

"Hmm, your persistence is admirable…" the man said.

He faced the GOLEM and got into a stance.

"I shall honor you with my first ougi."

The man then seemed vanish.

"_Fukyuu__ Ryuudou!"_

The man appeared on the other side of the GOLEM, his sword drawn and covered in blood from tsuba to tip. He swiped his sword to remove the blood and then looked at the GOLEM whose eyes were misted over.

"Now."

The GOLEM then fell apart, starting at the head and then to the legs. The creature had been struck with a spiraling slash that was a single strike. The man sheathed his sword and then looked at the havoc that Aya had wrought.

Every NMC had been eviscerated exquisitely. Some had a combination of bullet holes and slashes on their bodies. Aya's breathing was labored and her clothes were stained with blood. Her shirt, which had been white a few minutes ago, was now completely red. Her face was dripping in sweat which stained her shirt further. She bent over and breathed in greedily. The man narrowed his eyes and smirked evilly.

_"Beautiful, all of it, beautiful."_

The man opened his palm and his sheath disappeared. Aya noticed it out of the corner of her eye.

"So, that's where you keep it." she said breathlessly.

"Yes, and I suppose that you cannot perform the same task with your weapon."

"No."

The man looked at the NMC corpses.

"Well, you seemed to have ripped these creatures apart quite masterfully." he said.

"I wish I didn't have to."

"You could have done this much more swiftly and wasted less stamina if you had only used those abilities of yours. Why didn't you?"

"Because it wasn't necessary. I could deal with these things with this."

"I suppose, but it's better to overestimate one's opponent and defeat without much effort."

"Just the hell up."

Aya walked up to the man and looked into his green eyes.

"You're a friggin' psycho." she said.

"And what might give you such an implication, woman?"

"My name is Aya, Aya Brea."

"Ah, Sephiroth at your service."

The man took a bow Aya just stared.

"You're weird." she said.

"I suppose I am a bit eccentric, Aya."

"Don't speak my name like you know me."

Sephiroth walked up to Aya, backing her against a wall.

"Ah, but I do know you, we're exactly the same." he said.

Sephiroth placed his hands on the wall behind Aya, his thumbs inches away from Aya's eyes. The man seemed to purr, his eyes laughing. Aya just stared, not frightened, but intrigued for some bizarre reason.

"I'm nothing like you." she finally said.

"How so?"

"You seem to enjoy killing, I don't."

"I might determine differently if I were to see your expression in battle."

Sephiroth felt a sharp point dig into his chin and looked down to see that Aya was pointing her gun at his head.

"We've been through this, and I remember quite well what happened last time." he said.

"Screw you."

Aya pulled the trigger but the man seemed to vanish. Aya looked around not finding a trace of him.

"The hell…?"

Suddenly, a strong arm wrapped around her waist and she felt something warm breathing against her neck. She knew it was Sephiroth. She swallowed nervously.

"You know, I found your fragrance quite intoxicating before, but now that the carnage of battle has been added to it, you smell even lovelier." he said.

"How nice, a compliment from a psycho."

Sephiroth growled playfully.

"It is a pity that you can't enjoy this more." he said.

"There's nothing nice about a pervert rubbing against my ass and putting his hands where they don't belong."

Sephiroth then placed his hand in a certain area on Aya's torso that certainly was not meant to be touched. She finally snapped and attempted to stab Sephiroth. She felt the blade sink into Sephiroth's thigh and he backed away. He looked at his hand.

"Just as I thought." he said.

"What?"

"You lied when you said you don't enjoy battle."

"And how can you tell?"

"Your mouth may lie, but your body can't."

Aya thought for a moment, and then the realization caused her to blush madly.

"You…!" she growled.

Sephiroth chuckled and wiped his thigh. He licked the blood from his hand and seemed to relish it. Aya just looked disgusted.

"You're a sicko." she said.

"And a rather swift one as well."

Sephiroth then revealed that he held something golden in his hand. Aya stroked her hair and noticed that some of it was missing.

"How did you…?" she asked.

Sephiroth pointed to his nails which were pointed and sharp.

"You cut my hair with your nails?" Aya said.

"Yes, they make rather nice weapons at times."

Aya readied her blade and rushed Sephiroth. He grabbed the blade between his fingers and looked at Aya.

"You follow the basics quite well, though you need training." Sephiroth lectured

"Shut up!"

Sephiroth seemed to be evading Aya's blows very easily despite his injured thigh. Aya kept swinging and Sephiroth just seemed to become more stimulated.

"Yes, lets me see that look in your eyes, that excited, desiring look." he said.

"Shut up!"

Aya brought her blade down and Sephiroth struck it by slamming his fists together. The blade shattered and Aya gasped. Sephiroth looked right into Aya's eyes, smirking.

"That was it." he said.

"What?"

"You enjoyed fighting."

"Shut up."

"Then tell me that you don't wish to see me killed."

Sephiroth stepped forward and Aya stepped away.

"Tell me that you didn't want to kill me, that you didn't wish to rip me from groin to gullet and see my eviscerated body lying on the ground."

He cupped her chin with his large, elegant hands.

"Tell me."

Aya didn't answer, she merely stared, her eyes wide.

_"Wh-what the hell is going through his mind?"_

Sephiroth smirked again and then seemed to edge closer to Aya. A shot rang out and Sephiroth turned on his heel to see Daniel firing.

"Blast," Sephiroth cursed "we'll finish this later."

Daniel fired several rounds as Sephiroth vanished into the streets.

"Shit," Daniel cursed "the hell wazzat?"

Daniel holstered his gun and walked up to Aya who had fallen to her knees and just stared blankly.

"Hey, you alright?" he asked "Aya?"

Aya didn't answer, she just stared, a broken blade in her hands and her hand covered in blood with Sephiroth's words ringing in her ears.

_"Tell me."_


	3. Hellishly Divine Blood

Chapter Three Hellishly Divine Blood

Aya had been treated for her injuries, though she didn't see why. The only kind of thing she had sustained was a slight cut on her hand and that was barely a scratch. Maybe it was because her shirt was covered in blood, she didn't know or care. She had let Sephiroth slip away from her a second time and she had his words ringing in her ears again. Not only that, but that gradual approach he had made to her just a second before Daniel had showed up.

"Hey, you're starin' into space again." said Daniel's voice.

Aya looked up at the man, noticing he held a couple of cups of coffee. He gave one to Aya and sat down next to her.

"Thanks." she said.

"Lots o' cream and sugar, I made sure."

"Still tastes awful."

"To you maybe, but I like mine black."

Aya took a sip of the scalding liquid.

"So, who the hell was that silver-haired chick?" Daniel asked.

"Woman? That was a guy."

Daniel nearly choked on his coffee.

"That was a guy!? Damn!" he exclaimed.

"You better believe it, though he was a very effeminate guy."

"I thought the shoulders were a little broad, guess the hair threw me off."

Daniel guzzled his coffee in a single swig.

"Silver hair, reminds me that the FBI told us of some guy goin' around and turnin' those damn monsters into hash." he said.

"Probably him, I've met him at sites twice already. The guy's a psycho, I swear to god."

"I heard from a witness that the guy was pretty out there. Said he carried a sword as long as he was tall."

"I've seen it and I don't know how a guy as skinny as him can carry it."

Aya drank some of the coffee she had.

"The guy seems to be a bit of a pervert too." she commented.

"Why's that?"

Aya then remembered the places that Sephiroth had touched without her consent. The very thought of it made her ill.

"Never mind." she said.

"What's this guy's name anyway?"

"Sephiroth."

"What the hell kinda name is that? Is it his first name or his last?"

"Don't know, it's the only name he gave me."

"Man, sounds like even the guy's parents were weird."

"Yeah."

Aya saw a car pull up and Maeda step out. He walked up to Aya and Daniel.

"Aya, are you alright?" Maeda asked.

"Yeah, just got a scratch."

"Hmm, I heard that the mysterious man was around here."

"Yeah, had a less than pleasant encounter with him."

"Didja fight him?" Daniel asked.

"No, he actually helped me fight the NMCs."

"The hell was the dispute then?"

"Just him acting weird and getting a bit too close to me."

"If I hadn't known any better, I'd say he was tryin' to kiss ya."

Aya then dropped her cup rather suddenly and developed a shocked expression on her face. She cupped her mouth like she was going to vomit and bent over.

_"K-k-k-kiss me!?!__ That's what he was trying to do!?"_ she exclaimed in her mind.

"Hey, you alright?" Daniel asked.

"Y-yeah, just feeling a bit light-headed."

"Shit, right now? What's up with that?"

"I'm alright, it just happened all of a sudden."

Aya took a few deep breaths and sat up, though looking a bit pale. Maeda ruffled his hair a bit and took a look at the Gunblade.

"I see that the new weapon got a very good test run." he said.

"Yeah, it's a bit heavy but it carries a powerful punch. Most of the NMCs I struck with it were killed in two blows at the most and if they survived they were severely wounded."

"Yes, we were considering mass production but it seems like the blade isn't as strong as we had hoped."

"The blade isn't that big of a deal with NMCs, but my "friend" snapped it in two just by striking it."

"What? Are you sure?"

"Yeah, he did it with his bare fists."

"A human is capable of such a thing?"

"I don't know what he is. I stabbed his leg so his blood should be on the tip."

Maeda picked up the heavy weapon and put it in a nearby case.

"I'll get this repaired once I'm done with it and have it given back to you." he said.

"Alright, take as long as you like."

Maeda bowed and went to his car then drove off. Daniel got up and stretched.

"That man ain't changed a bit." he said.

"Neither have you, you're still as stubborn as ever."

"And what is that s'posed to mean?"

"You're getting old and you're still on the NYPD."

"Hey, I got a teenaged son to support."

"I haven't seen Ben in awhile. How is he?"

"Fine, he's about your sister's age and he's been liking school."

"That's good, I hope he does good in life."

"You should be wonderin' about yourself."

"Hm?"

"You ain't been out in forever. When's the last time you went on a date?"

"Look, I'm a monster-killer for the FBI and I have a sister who's going to graduate high school next year. I don't have time for relationships."

"Huh, and you say I'm stubborn."

Aya stood up and carried her jacket.

"I'm going home, I stink and I'm tired." she said.

"Alright, say hi to Eve for me."

"I will."

Aya got in her car, throwing her jacket onto the passenger's seat. Aya started the car and drove away from Chinatown, heading home.

The sun was going down already, though being late winter it was typical. She came to a stop at a four-way intersection and thought about what Daniel had said a moment before. She touched her mouth and though about it.

_"Kiss me? Why on earth would he do that? God, I would have gotten sick if that happened."_

The light turned green and Aya turned. She kept thinking about that odd man, his exotic hair, his glowing eyes, and his disturbing words. She kept thinking about it until she came to her apartment.

Aya opened her door and walked in, seeing Eve sitting on the couch watching TV. The girl looked at her older sister.

"Hey." Eve said.

"Hey, sorry I took so long."

"Oh well, I've gotten used to it. I heard on the news that something happened in Chinatown so I pretty much thought you were there."

"Yeah, some more NMCs."

Aya threw her jacket on a chair and took off her blood-soaked shirt.

"Whoa, what happened to you?" Eve asked.

"A lot of things to kill."

Aya threw the shirt away, leaving her in an equally bloody bra.

"Damn it, I'm gonna have to buy new clothes." shesaid.

"Or wear black ones."

"I'm hopping in the shower."

Aya slipped into her bathroom and took off her clothes, throwing her ruined bra into a wastebasket. She scrubbed her body free of the stench of blood with scented soap and scrubbed her hair clean. The hot water eased her muscles a bit and the slight scratch on her hand.

Aya got out after cleaning herself and put a robe on. She was still toweling her hair as she walked into her bedroom, lying down. She looked at the ceiling, her mid-length hair splayed in every direction. Aya extended her arm and looked at her fingers, imagining seeing that man's face beyond them.

_"Damn it, I can't stop thinking about those words of his."_

Aya rolled onto her side and thought.

_"After that whole incident, I came back to New York. I had gone to L.A. because I was afraid of hurting my friends. But after Eve came into my life…I stopped being depressed. I thought it'd be good for Eve to see my old friends so I came back here."_

Aya looked at the ceiling again.

_"But have I changed? I'm still scared of who I am so I lock my powers away, even if I may get killed if I don't use them."_

Aya looked at her clock which read nine PM.

_"It's not late enough to go to sleep. I guess I'll watch something with Eve."_

Aya dressed in some night clothes which were just a blue shirt and a pair of sweats and went into the living room. Eve was eating some chips and looked at Aya.

"Well, seems the stench has decreased." she commented.

"Smart mouth."

Aya ruffled Eve's hair a bit and took some chips from the bag, promptly eating them. She looked at the screen and saw some flashing images.

"What the heck is this?" Aya asked.

"One of my DVDs. It's Inu-Yasha."

"This is what I'm letting you spend my money on?"

"Hey, Maeda exposed me to it and I like it, so there."

"Well, I guess it is a little neat."

Aya watched as some white-haired guy sliced a demon in half with a huge sword.

"Whoa." she said.

"Yeah, it's cool."

"To think the cartoons I watched were never like this."

"Well, a lot has changed. I've noticed that white-haired guys in anime are total bad boys."

_"It seems not only in this world though."_

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Maeda was in MIST's lab, scraping the blood from Aya's broken Gunblade. He put the red liquid onto several slides and placed them under a microscope.

"Now, let's see what is in here."

Several readings came up on a computer screen.

"Hmm, rat, cat, dog, bird. Nothing out of the ordinary."

The screen bordered a certain sample and the word "unknown" flashed on the screen.

"Ah, there we are."

Maeda clicked a few commands on the screen and data kept being read out.

"Hmm, it reads very similar to human, though the structure of the amino acids is a bit different. Ninety-nine point nine-nine-nine percent similarity, interesting."

Maeda scratched his day-old stubble.

"I've seen that reading before, but where?"

Maeda typed some commands into the computer.

"Find matches with numbers."

The command ended and the results were shown.

"Only one?"

Maeda clicked on the result, and looked at it in shock.

"Aya? She and this man share that much of a link?"

Maeda typed more commands into the computer.

"Check abnormal cell behavior, center on mitochondrial activity."

The screen flashed and showed some images on the screen.

"What in…?"

The images Maeda saw were almost exactly the same as what he had seen several years ago.

"It can't…!"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Aya heard her cell phone ring around eleven the next day. She looked at the screen and saw Maeda's number.

"Hello." she said drowsily.

"Aya, you must see what I found out about this man."

"Maeda, wait, slow down, I can hardly understand you."

"Sorry, just a bit excited."

"Alright, now, what were you talking about?"

"That blood sample I have has produced very interesting results."

"How?"

"I think it's better that you come down and see."

"Give me awhile, your call woke me up."

"Alright."

Aya turned off her phone and got up, dressing. Eve was still asleep so she left her a note on the TV while she ate. After Aya was somewhat awake she got into her car and drove to the MIST center.

_"What could be so interesting about this guy's blood?"_

Aya put in one of her CDs, not really listening to it but it kept her mind off of certain events. Eventually she came to the MIST building, seeing that very few cars were there. She went into the biology lab and saw Maeda amidst a sea of coffee cups and instant ramen cups.

"Have you been up all night?" she asked.

"Yes, it's been awhile since I've done this."

"I would hope."

Aya swept a chair and sat down.

"So, what'd you find out about this guy?" she asked Maeda.

"Well, look at this first."

Maeda played a video on the computer screen.

"That's my blood sample from a few years ago." she said "What's that got to do with anything?"

"Well, watch this."

Maeda played another video, though this time it seemed as though the display of mitochondria giving energy to a nucleus was intensified.

"What was that?" she asked.

"That was Sephiroth's blood sample."

"That looked…"

"Like yours? Yes, it does."

"Why's that?"

"I don't know. It seems that his entire body has been super-charged with something."

"What do you mean?"

"Well…"

Maeda pulled up another screen which showed some data.

"This seems to be the source of the boost." he finished.

"Four-hundred percent boost in physical performance?"

"Yes, I tried some lab rats and realized they were as strong as small dogs."

"Man, I bet the military would love to get their hands on that."

"Yes, though one of the rats seemed to become insane and violent."

_"Maybe that could explain Sephiroth's attitude."_

Maeda then pulled up another screen.

"This is the thing that most surprised me." he said.

Maeda then pulled up the first thing he had discovered last night.

"Your DNA is almost exactly alike." he said.

"Like brother and sister?"

"Er, no, more like species."

"I'm human Maeda, of course are DNA is going to be similar."

"Well, look at this…"

Maeda pulled up yet another screen.

"Your unique cell activity has you listed under an entirely new species." he said.

"I thought I suppressed my powers."

"Well, your suppression has led to you looking younger than your chronological age but the activity is still happening."

"So I guess no matter what I do, those powers will always be a part of me."

"Yes."

Aya looked at her hands once more.

_"We're both monsters."_ Sephiroth's words rang.

Aya clenched her fist.

_"I'm not a monster."_

"Aya, is something wrong?" Maeda asked.

"No, nothing."

Aya stood up.

"Anything else I need to know?" she asked.

"No, except that the blade to your gun is going to take three days to complete."

"Alright, I guess I should make sure I don't run out of bullets."

Aya left the MIST center and saw that a new vehicle had pulled up. It was a motorcycle that was rather large and ugly.

_"That's odd, no one in MIST drives one of those."_

She heard the sound of heavy boots on the pavement behind her. She turned around and saw a pair of blazing, green eyes. She automatically turned and faced the now-familiar person.

"What the hell are you doing here?" she questioned immediately.

"I saw you and decided to visit."

Aya reached for her gun but Sephiroth's hand was holding her smaller one down.

"I bear no arms, so there is no need for that." he said.

"You can make that sword appear if you want to and you have those weird powers of yours."

"I never once have even attempted to strike you, have you thought of that?"

Aya loosened her grip on her gun.

"That's better."

Sephiroth took a few steps back, his long hair blowing in a cold wind.

"You may not have struck me, but groping me is a different story." Aya commented.

Sephiroth chuckled.

"I was merely being playful." he argued.

"Yeah, if you're a pervert. Your parents must have been messed up to raise you like you are now."

"I never had any parents, if you must know. And I think you might want to consider something regarding that."

"What's that?"

"You happen to be the first woman I've ever touched."

"Oh, and that's supposed to be flattering?"

"If you knew who I was."

Sephiroth sat on the seat of his motorcycle, putting his pale hands into the pockets of a red-leather jacket he had on.

"I'm surprised no one has come out yet." Aya commented "There are cameras all over and the guards would be out here if they saw you."

"Tch, those cameras can't handle my energy. I heard several burst once I came into the area."

"That would explain it."

"Indeed."

Aya leaned against her car, still a bit tense with the enigmatic man standing not five feet from her.

"Who are you anyway? What are you?" Aya asked.

"As to what I am, it seems I am very similar to you. As to you, well, that's a rather long tale. Do you wish to hear it?"

"Maybe, but I just wanna go home right now."

"Perhaps another time then."

Aya unlocked her car and Sephiroth started his motorcycle.

"Where are you going?" Aya asked.

"Church."

Sephiroth sped of, his long hair fanning out behind him. Aya just looked as he drove off with a quizzical look on her face.

"Church?"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Sephiroth came to St. Johns the Divine after a short drive through many alleys and short roads. He tossed his head to straighten his hair and walked into the large chapel. He didn't wear formal clothes, but he didn't overly care.

Sephiroth walked into the chapel and looked up at the Gothic paintings, examining every little detail. He put a dollar into the donation tray on his way in and took a seat in the service, crossing his legs. He heard the priest drone on as he was in his own thoughts.

_"To think I found someone like me, though her conscience prevents her from admitting it. I the monster? I suppose it's appropriate, considering."_

Sephiroth closed his eyes and sighed, thinking.

_"Heh, to think that people called me the one-winged angel where I come from.__ If I'm a devil, does that make Aya an angel?"_

The priest finished his sermon and everyone began to leave. Sephiroth began to leave when he felt the priest's eyes on him.

"May I ask why you are looking at me?" Sephiroth asked.

"I've never seen you here before. May I assume that you are not Christian?"

"Yes."

"Ah, then I might enlighten you about…"

"Save your breath, I have no desire."

"Oh?"

Sephiroth had a bored look on his face as he spoke to the priest.

"I have no desire for religion, all it does is tell people to stop trusting their fellow man."

Sephiroth just walked out while leaving the priest in utter shock. The crisp morning air blew on Sephiroth, sending his hair in a hundred-thousand directions. He looked to the sky and smirked, still as maliciously as he had with Aya.

_"I believe it's time I truly begin to play with Aya."_


	4. Trail of Dead

Chapter Four Trail of Dead

Three days had passed in a blur. The NMCs in the current years had were usually hit-and-wait types who attacked and then didn't do anything for a week or so. Not that Aya cared, it gave her some peace and quiet.

It was midday on a Thursday and Aya was bored beyond belief. Since she was the main enforcer in MIST she usually wasn't called to the office unless she needed special equipment or something. She was sitting on the couch wearing a button-up shirt and flipping through the channels.

_"God, there's not a damn thing on in the midday."_

Aya turned off the TV and went over her stereo, putting a CD in.

_"Let's see, ah, there's Battle of Evermore."_

Aya turned the stereo up, but not enough to annoy the neighbors. She hummed to the music and moved her fingers like she was playing a piano. Just then, her cell phone rang.

"Son of a-!"

Aya turned off her stereo and picked up her phone, looking at the display.

"That's weird, no number I know."

Aya pressed the talk button on the phone.

"Hello?" she said.

"Good afternoon Miss Brea, I trust you're well."

Aya immediately dropped her phone and her eyes widened to their very limits. The voice on her phone was Sephiroth's.

"Hello, did I surprise you?" Sephiroth's voice said from the phone.

Aya picked up the dropped phone and held it to her ear.

"How the hell do you know this number?" she questioned.

"You'd be shocked to how insecure MIST's systems are."

"You hacked into the system?"

"Correct."

"I'm surprised that the FBI isn't down your throat right now."

"Your systems are very mediocre compared to the ones where I come from. It wasn't difficult for me to mask my intrusion even with the little amount of technology I have."

"So you're a swordsman, a sorcerer, and a hacker. What else are you?"

"You seem to have listed them fully. In my previous line of work I had to be extremely versatile."

"I bet you were an assassin."

"Something of that nature."

Aya began looking out the windows of her apartment, hoping to see Sephiroth somewhere.

"Don't bother, you wouldn't see me." he said.

"Then how did you know I was looking?"

"I have ways."

"Where are you?"

"In the sewers."

"Why are you down there?"

"I happened to follow one of those biomechanical soldiers down here, I believe you called them GOLEMs."

"Yeah, what about them?"

"It seems there is a substantial amount of them in the sewers. I was considering destroying them by myself but I decided to let you have a bit of fun as well."

"I knew the peace couldn't last."

"Yes, the fact that MIST waits until these blasted things attack is rather careless."

"Alright, just where are you?"

"I'm sending you the address I entered."

Aya looked at the display on her phone and wrote the address down.

"I'll be there and if this is a lie then I'll make you a eunuch so fast." she warned.

"I am many things but a liar I am not."

"How do I know where to find you?"

"Just follow the dead bodies."

Sephiroth hung up and Aya began dressing. She put on a black shirt and blue jeans and finished it off with her leather jacket. Aya put her repaired gunblade in a bag and slung it over her shoulder before going out. As Aya walked down the hall she entered a few numbers into her phone and then held the receiver to her head.

"Hello?" said Pierce's voice on the other end.

"It's Aya."

"Yo, what's up?"

"I happen to be going over to a nest of GOLEMs right now and I'm sending you the info."

"Okay, seriously, make a better joke next time."

"It's not a joke Pierce, here's the address."

Aya then waited as Pierce checked on something.

"Aya, the computer detects activity in this area, where did you get the info?" he asked.

"From a certain, silver-haired man that's been driving me nuts."

"Oh, I see. How'd he get your number?"

"He somehow hacked into the MIST database and got my personal data."

"Bullshit, there's no record of that happening."

"Believe what you will but he did it. I'm heading over to where he is right now so get everyone ready."

"Alright, if you insist."

Aya hung up her phone just as she got into her car and started it. She turned on an emergency light to get through traffic faster to where Sephiroth was and see if what he said was true. She eventually came to an abandoned building that looked like it was redy to collapse.

_"Looks like a good place to go unnoticed."_

Aya got out of her car and looked around, seeing an opened manhole. She noticed that the lid had indentations of fingers on it which implied that someone had removed the lid with their bare hands."

_"Sephiroth."_

Aya looked down into the sewer.

_"Why do I always have to crawl through these damn things?"_

Aya slid down the ladder and eventually touched down on the concrete. She wrinkled her nose at the stench permeating throughout the tunnels and looked around, seeing nothing but black.

_"Follow the dead bodies. Doesn't do me much good unless I can see them."_

Aya turned on a flashlight she had and put in on her gunblade. She looked around until she saw something red on the walls.

_"Looks fresh."_

Aya went over to it and saw that the red substance was freshly wet.

_"Alright, I've found the trail."_

Aya looked ahead with her flashlight and wasn't so sure she wanted to find that trail.

_"Holy…"_

Apparently Sephiroth had been more than a bit playful this time around. GOLEMs had been embedded into the walls by a powerful force and their bodies had been broken by the same thing. Some of the GOLEMs had actually been smashed into the ceiling, causing blood to drip down and make the filthy water red. Many of the soldiers had their heads sliced off and their bodies in pieces. Aya just swallowed as she looked at this.

_"He tells me to come and it looks like he can handle things by himself."_

Aya pressed forward into the sewers, following the corpses like bread crumbs. She turned a corner and heard sounds in the distance. The scrape of metal, the electric sound of a laser-blade, the crashing of concrete, and the firing of guns.

_"Sounds like he's in full swing."_

Aya ran full speed into the sewers, heading right towards the sound of carnage. She turned a corner, sliding on the concrete, and saw Sephiroth fighting at least five GOLEMs. He was countering their attacks perfectly and felling them in as few blows as possible.

Aya was looking at this while a GOLEM was sneaking up behind her. Had Aya not heard the sound of its laser-blade activating then she would have been the one that was dead. Aya quickly turned around and sliced the creature's head clean off, sending it into the muck of the sewers. Her heart racing, Aya ran to where Sephiroth was and was going to assist him when she noticed that the path was too narrow to help. Sephiroth slid backwards from the blow a GOLEM had dealt him and stood tall. Aya was about to go forward when Sephiroth stopped her.

"I'll handle these." he said.

Sephiroth got into a stance, knees bent and sword pointed forward. He charged with full speed at the GOLEMs.

"_Chitotsu__!"_

Sephiroth pivoted on his right leg, making full motion with his shoulders and waist and pierced the GOLEMs. The thrust was actually so powerful that it caused a shockwave that struck every GOLEM and tore them to shreds. Some concrete fell loose, collapsing the tunnel and blocking the path. Aya rolled her eyes.

"Great, you destroyed the tunnel." she commented.

"Feh, a simple matter."

Sephiroth extended his fingers.

"Blizzaga."

The area in front of Sephiroth froze immediately, rock and polluted water becoming ice. Aya stared in amazement as Sephiroth shattered the frozen substance with a single kick.

"Now we can move forward." he said.

Sephiroth sheathed and shouldered his nodachi and then ran forward, merely a black blur in darkness. Aya ran as well though she couldn't hope to match Sephiroth's pace. All she could do was listen to the sound of his footsteps as she followed.

Eventually the tunnels began to widen and Aya heard more sounds of battle. Sephiroth was at a four-way intersection, fighting some very sinister looking GOLEMs. He spun on his left leg, slicing several in half with a single stroke and then stabbed upward, impaling a spider-like creature through its mouth. Sephiroth swung his sword downward, removing the arachnid from his blade while simultaneously splitting it in two.

"Behind you." he said to Aya.

Aya acted more on reflex than anything and swung her blade, feeling it slice through something. She looked at the ground and saw a Knight GOLEM split in two. Aya looked at Sephiroth as he seemed to be in a trance.

_"Did he know that thing was behind me by noise alone?"_

Sephiroth looked to his right and followed down the path, Aya following shortly after. Sephiroth slashed at something Aya couldn't see and then saw that he had left a couple of GOLEM corpses in his wake. Aya stepped over the bodies and continued onward. Aya took out a Rook GOLEM that Sephiroth had missed and kept following him.

Aya then found herself in a wide area with Sephiroth staring down eight GOLEMs. Aya put her finger on her gunblade's trigger.

"Deal with those things before you go on to these beasts." Sephiroth said to her.

Aya saw a practical army of NMCs bearing down on her. Taking action immediately, her legs drove her forward. She first took on a snake, immediately separating its head from its body with a slash. The second thing she encountered was a bat about to shriek when she sliced it in two. A toad came up behind Aya but she pointed the barrel of her gunblade at its head without looking and pulled the trigger, blowing its head to pieces.

Aya seemed to be moving faster than she ever had before. She seemed to be able to see, smell, hear, and feel everything in the battle around her. She swung in a wide arc, slicing three snakes into ribbons. She breathed more rapidly and her eyes became wider and wider the more she fought. She struck a toad's head with her bare hand, injuring the knuckles but somehow splitting the thing's skull open. Before she realized what happened, she had decimated the entire entourage of NMCs. She looked at Sephiroth's fight and noticed that he was still taking on all eight GOLEMs.

Sephiroth seemed to be having a bit more trouble because of the fact that he was fighting eight of the creatures at once. He blocked a strike from one with a laser blade, pressing his hand against the back of his blade to increase pressure on his opponent. He had to change his position because of a GOLEM sneaking up behind him. Sephiroth whirled around and blocked the GOLEMs blow with the flat of his blade and then did a kick to the jaw to send the thing flying upward.

Sephiroth then blocked a blow aimed for his back and kicked behind him to strike his opponent. He then brought his blade up in an upward strike and split a GOLEM's face in two. His next blow pierced the throat of another. Sephiroth backed away a bit, assessing his situation.

_"They're all in close proximity of one another."_ he thought _"Perfect."_

Sephiroth brought his sword to his side, tip pointing to the right and then placed the flat on the back of his neck.

"_Kazekatsu_"

Sephiroth swung his blade at incredible speed, cutting the very air itself. Every GOLEM was then sliced clean in two. Blood flowed over the concrete, bathing it in red. Sephiroth sheathed his blade and then looked to Aya.

Aya was currently on her knees, breathing harshly and appearing very pale. Sephiroth walked over to her calmly, assessing her.

"What is wrong? You don't seem to be one who would be experiencing battle-shock by this point." he said.

"I-I killed those things, and…"

"What?"

"I-I enjoyed it."

Sephiroth looked at Aya's hand, noticing the wound was still bleeding. He took Aya's smaller hand in his own.

"There's no shame in enjoying killing." he said.

Sephiroth then licked Aya's wound, being rewarded with a slap on the right side of his face for doing such. Aya was furious at the man's actions.

"Don't you ever fucking touch me!" she roared.

Sephiroth wrinkled his nose a bit and brushed his fingers over his cheek.

"Well, that was a rather strong blow." he said "If I'm not mistaken, a bit more powerful than any of your previous attempts."

"My next one will rip your head clean off!"

Aya took a swing with her gunblade and Sephiroth narrowly dodged the strike. His shirt tore open, revealing his alabaster chest. Sephiroth raised an eyebrow.

"Hmm, impressive." he commented.

Aya brandished her gunblade.

"Draw that slab you call a sword." she ordered.

"If you insist, milady."

Sephiroth drew his blade and raised it to eye-level. Aya had hers in front of her, the tip pointing at an angle to Sephiroth's forehead. Not wasting any more time, Aya charged and went for a side-slash. Sephiroth was surprised at the speed and had to block instead, pressing his hand against the back of his blade. Sephiroth could have shaken off the hold but instead he struck the back of his sword with his fist and added force to it.

An explosion of sparks erupted and the combatants stepped away from each other for a bit. Aya went for a single-handed swing at Sephiroth's head but he managed to only step away enough just to get a cut on his cheek right below his eye. She went for a blow again, this time at his legs. Sephiroth hopped over the blow and then went to strike Aya with his long blade. Aya ducked the blow and righted herself, going for a downward strike with her gunblade. Not having time to dodge or parry with his sword, Sephiroth grabbed the blade with his bare hand and held it in place. The edge dug into his palm slightly but he held the blade.

_"That's impossible, his hand should be sliced in half."_ Aya thought.

Sephiroth smirked, though not arrogantly or proudly.

"You've grown quite a bit, Aya." he congratulated.

Sephiroth promptly let go of the gunblade and then took out Aya's legs. Aya landed on her back, the wind being knocked out of her lungs and then Sephiroth grabbed both her hand and pinned them to either side of her. Aya tried to squirm out of Sephiroth's grip but he was far too powerful.

"Well, you're rather spirited." he commented.

"Screw you!"

Sephiroth chuckled and sighed a bit. The hand that Aya had injured by punching an NMC was on the one of Sephiroth's that was cut. Their blood was mingling but Aya didn't notice. Sephiroth got a bit closer and looked at Aya's face.

"You're seraphic, flawless, a diamond amongst a world of coal." he said.

"Don't try and flatter me."

Aya turned her head to the side and Sephiroth grabbed both her arms with one hand then he pinned them above her head. Sephiroth stroked Aya's face with his free hand, making her struggle to get out of his grip.

"Settle down," Sephiroth growled "let's enjoy this while we're alone."

Sephiroth then bent his neck own and kissed Aya's lips. Sephiroth looked like he was enjoying it very much but Aya looked, well, it was very hard to tell what her opinion of it was. She didn't look pleased with it but not necessarily disgusted either. She felt something in the back of her mind responding but she couldn't tell what it was. Eventually the other parts of her mind responded and she gave Sephiroth a head butt. Sephiroth reeled back and let go of Aya. Aya grabbed her gunblade and went into a stance. Sephiroth merely shook his head a bit to regain himself.

"Well, that was interesting." he commented.

"Shut the hell up!"

"You sound as if you didn't enjoy that."

"Damn straight!"

Aya then heard the click of a hammer being pulled back and then a gun being fired. Sephiroth merely heard it and then Aya saw his body flying forward from the impact of the bullet. Aya saw a spurt of blood come out of the back of Sephiroth's head. She saw a MIST squad behind him and Rupert was at the front, smoke pouring from the barrel of his gun.

_"Good riddance."_ Aya thought of Sephiroth.

However, Sephiroth's foot stepped forward to catch himself. Sephiroth then stood tall and everyone's jaws dropped. Sephiroth turned towards Rupert, looking bored. Aya saw the bloody spot amongst Sephiroth's white hair and saw that no blood dripped from it anymore. Sephiroth dug his fingers into the hole and pulled out a metallic object covered in blood. He then put the thing into his mouth and sucked on it like a candy drop. His last action with it was spitting it at the floor and somehow putting a hole in the concrete. Everyone just stared.

"Bullets won't work, even if I'm shot in the head." Sephiroth said to everyone.

Aya watched as the hole in the back of Sephiroth's head closed. The bloody hole was now replaced by Sephiroth's lustrous silver hair.

"Tch, how boring." he commented.

Sephiroth looked to Aya.

"We'll continue this later."

Sephiroth then retreated and Aya followed him.

"Stop, dammit!" Aya yelled.

Aya could barely see Sephiroth due to his speed and the lack of light but she kept up enough to not lose him. Sweat dripped down Aya's brow as she ran behind Sephiroth. Aya turned a corner and saw Sephiroth merely standing, looking at her.

"I regret to say that we must stop this little game for the moment." he said.

"Shut up!"

Aya began to run forward but then she noticed that the next step hit nothing. Aya barely managed to catch herself before she fell into a deep chasm. Aya looked and noticed that there was a gap at least fifty feet wide separating her from Sephiroth.

"Damn." she cursed.

"My apologies for having to flee but I rather we be by ourselves if we discuss anything."

"You're just running away."

"I'm very accustomed to having insults such as that shot at me by this point."

Sephiroth turned on his heel and began walking away. However, he stopped for a moment.

"Aya, do try to tolerate the little trial ahead." he said to Aya.

"Trial?"

"You'll see and feel soon enough."

Sephiroth then disappeared into the dark sewers. Aya shouldered her weapon and sighed.

"God, he is the weirdest bastard in the entire world."

Aya began walking down the tunnel when suddenly a surge of…something hit her. Aya's knees buckled and struck the floor with a hard force. Aya cupped her hand around her mouth and expected to vomit but nothing came forth. She began to shake and her body began to feel like it was burning.

_"N-not again."_ she thought.

Aya began burning up and she saw some kind of electric sparks popping all over her skin.

"D-dammit, I suppressed my powers, why is this happening now?"

Aya looked at her hand and noticed that the wound on it was healing at an extremely high rate.

"Wh-what the…?"

Then Aya remembered Sephiroth touching her hands and how he was also cut.

"I-is that why? Is this him doing this?"

Aya felt a heat inside her chest that resembled the flames of Hell.

"AAAAAAGGGRGHGHGHGHGHGH!!!!"

Aya began writhing on the ground in incredible pain and screaming. Sweat no longer dripped on Aya, it poured like a fountain. She heard footsteps coming.

"Hey, Aya!" she heard Rupert say.

"N-no, k-keep away, y-you can't."

She saw several dark shapes through her blurred vision. Aya felt like shit inside and out.

"Hey, Aya, what the hell happened?" Rupert asked.

"St-stay away, don't come any closer."

"What are you talkin' about?"

Rupert took a step forward, noticing the intense heat that seemed to radiate.

"What the fu-?"

Rupert's arm then burst into flames and he began flapping it around to put it out. Aya grabbed her head and screamed as six wings of light came from her back. Aya then gave a final shudder and collapsed onto the floor. Rupert finally put his arm out and looked at the minor burns. Then he noticed the collapsed Aya.

"Aya! Ayaaaaaaaaa!!!!"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Sephiroth popped open a manhole after about half an hour of trudging through the sewer and was once again in the streets of New York City. The man dusted his coat free of any sort of filth on it. He looked at the sky, seeing that he had spent barely two hours in the sewers.

"That was quite fast."

Sephiroth looked at where his hand had been cut by Aya, seeing that the cut was completely healed. He chuckled a bit.

"Aya's trial should be interesting. I wonder what she'll dream of."

Sephiroth went into the streets, signing a tune and looked at the cold surroundings.

"As cold as my eyes. How I love the winter."

Sephiroth walked down the sidewalk, humming as though he was at the height of his life.


	5. A Devil's Trial

Chapter Five A Devil's Trial

Aya groaned and turned in her hospital bed as her colleagues watched. It had been quite the ordeal to get Aya to the hospital in the first place. Somehow whenever she convulsed she created a sort of field that caused anything within it to burst into flames. MIST had to wait an hour before the odd activity calmed down but Aya still seemed to be very ill. Her temperature was highly irregular at one-hundred-ten degrees Fahrenheit and she seemed to be mumbling a language no one understood. Pierce ran his hands through his untied blond hair and kept tapping his foot on the floor.

"You oughta go home." Rupert said.

"You're one to talk."

"I don't got anybody waiting for me. Jodie and your kid are waiting for you."

"I guess Jodie might be worrying about me. I called her though."

The men heard footsteps down the hallway and then saw Eve rushing with Daniel behind her.

"Dammit, slow down!" Daniel yelled.

Eve skidded to a halt and was breathing rapidly.

"Is she alright?" she asked Pierce.

"It's like she's got a fever, but the doctor's don't know what's causing it."

"What do you mean?"

"No viral activity or anything related to it. It's like her body just started acting this way."

"That's not possible."

"Then Aya has an impossible condition."

"That's not funny Pierce. My sister could die."

"Hey, we don't know that."

"She could or couldn't. You don't know either one."

Eve felt a large hand on her shoulder. She looked up and saw Daniel.

"Eve," he said "I know your sister better than most people. Believe me, she ain't gonna let some stupid shit like this kill her. She's too stubborn for that."

Eve gave a smile.

"Thanks, you're right."

If only Aya knew what was happening as she slept and battled with her condition.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Aya opened her eyes and saw nothing but white around her. There weren't even shadows. Nothing but endless white stretching into infinity.

"Where am I?" she said to nothing.

"Wouldn't you like to know?"

Aya turned around and saw a certain silver-haired man.

"You again." she said.

"Something wrong?"

"Why are you here? You're the person I least want to see."

"Am I Sephiroth? Or am I merely how you perceive the man known as Sephiroth?"

"I don't know."

"The answer would be the second one. Although, I might be how you wish I was."

"You're just a depiction?"

"Correct."

Aya took a moment to examine Sephiroth. His entire body was pale and thin though extremely muscular. Aya then noticed that there a single, black wing coming from Sephiroth's lower back on his right side. Then Aya looked a bit lower and noticed that Sephiroth wasn't wearing anything. Aya turned her head slightly.

"Maybe I should think you up some clothes." she said.

"Why is that of importance?"

"I don't like looking at naked men."

"Well, you're in no better condition than I."

Aya wondered what Sephiroth meant until she looked at her body. She too was completely naked. Though, she could what Sephiroth's point with being naked was. Her breasts were merely curves and her entire body was smooth with no definition.

"See what I mean?" Sephiroth asked.

Aya noticed that Aya was looking into Sephiroth's eyes as he was hanging upside-down.

"And what's your condition?" Aya asked.

"Not unlike you. My unique parts are also merely smoothed over."

Sephiroth gave a smirk.

"Were you hoping to see something?" he asked.

"Don't flatter yourself."

"Though I flatter you quite a bit."

Sephiroth righted himself to he was in an upright position. Aya felt his large hands cup her face. Sephiroth gave a thin smile.

"Odd, you don't flinch." he commented.

"Why? If you're a figment of my imagination and not real then why should I get upset?"

"True. Though what if I do this?"

Sephiroth's lips touched Aya's in a silent kiss. Aya didn't seem to be annoyed, nor did she seem to enjoy the contact in the slightest. Sephiroth looked down at Aya.

"You didn't seem to be enraged." he said.

"As I said, this is my imagination."

"Though with a bit of help from me."

"Is that what caused that sudden spasm?"

"Yes."

Sephiroth showed Aya his palm.

"You cut me here, if I am correct." he said.

"Yeah, and I scraped my knuckles when I hit an NMC."

Sephiroth glided to Aya's back and placed his hands on her shoulders.

"I put my cut on that wound." he said into her ear. "Our blood mingled for a moment."

"Did you get any side effects?"

"No, not at all."

"How can your blood cause this kind of reaction with my body?"

"Mako."

"What?"

Sephiroth was in front of Aya again.

"I'm from a different world, Aya." he said.

"Now I know you're crazy."

"As I said, I am no liar."

"What's your world like?"

"There are humans, people, countries, cultures. The technology was more advanced yet there was still an extreme spirituality to the place."

Sephiroth glided upward and stared upward.

"There were many beasts and monsters in it." he said "I suppose that's why I arrived in your world."

Aya cocked her head to one side.

"That's it?" she said.

"Well, until I met you."

"What does that mean?"

"As I said before, you and I are very much alike."

"We're nothing alike."

"Though that's the only difference."

"What is?"

Sephiroth glided down and looked into Aya's eyes.

"Unlike you, I accepted what I was a long time ago." he said.

"I'm not a monster."

"Is that so?"

Sephiroth then reached behind Aya, grabbing something. The man then had a few long, white feathers between his fingers.

"Where'd you get those?" Aya asked.

"You should know, they're yours."

Aya looked out of the corner of her eye and saw a white wing coming from her back.

"What the…?" she wondered.

Aya looked to her other side and saw wings.

"You have six." Sephiroth said "Like a seraphim."

Aya's blue eyes met Sephiroth's green ones.

"What caused this?" she asked.

"You've always had them. You've merely refused to acknowledge it."

"How can I not notice wings?"

"You'd be surprised what sorts of things you can believe not exist. Some people fool themselves into believing that they have siblings or friends and even more grandiose things."

Sephiroth smirked.

"Though, does that make it the truth?" he said "Does that make it the truth to anyone else? Is it merely for you? Deny all you want and convince yourself, the truth is never changed."

"Can I be sure you're not fooling me?"

"As I've said before, I'm not a liar."

"That's about the only thing I can trust you with, I guess."

"Call it woman's intuition."

Sephiroth chuckled. Aya looked at Sephiroth's black wing.

"Why do you only have one?" she asked.

"It's a symbol of irony."

"Irony of what?"

"That's a story for another day."

Aya looked at her knuckles, examining them slowly.

"You and I share blood now." she said.

"Yes, we do."

"Why?"

"This is a trial I made."

"How do I pass?"

Sephiroth's eyes turned serious.

"Who are you?" he asked.

"You know who I am."

"But do you know?"

"I'm an FBI agent for MIST and Eve's adoptive sister."

"That's _what_ you are not _who_."

"Then who am I?"

"You've known that for a very long time. Ever since you were a small child."

Aya thought for a moment. Who was she? She was a sister and a daughter but that couldn't be it. Was there some underlying meaning? A cryptic answer?

"You're overcomplicating things." Sephiroth commented.

"And you know who I am?"

"Yes."

"Tch, as if."

"Oh?"

Sephiroth continued floating through the white space.

"You continue to distance yourself." he said "Why is that?"

"What are you talking about?"

"If it hadn't been for Eve coming into your life then you would have isolated yourself completely from human contact."

Sephiroth looked down at the woman.

"Your fears will destroy you, if you let them control you." he said.

"I don't fear anything."

"Every person fears something, you are no different."

"I suppose that someone like you who's not human fears nothing."

"I never said human, I said person."

Sephiroth floated down to Aya and looked her in the eyes.

"What you fear is what you are." he said.

"What I am?"

"Yes, you fear that you will become those monsters someday."

"You shouldn't know that."

"I've told you, I'm of your mind but I manifested due to the exchange of blood."

"Then why are you telling me I'm afraid?"

"Because you are, you know that."

"Shut up!"

Aya turned away from Sephiroth and covered her ears with her hands and shutting her eyes. However, she felt Sephiroth's hands rip her hands from her ears.

"Tch, your first reaction is to shut yourself off from my words and sight?" he said "You're such a child."

"I'm not a child!"

"Then open your eyes and look."

Sephiroth spun Aya around so she faced him and placed his hands firmly on her arms.

"Think of yourself as a monster and you truly will become that thing from seven years ago." he said to her.

"I am not that fucking monster!"

"Then stop telling yourself that you are!"

Aya opened her eyes, feeling tear streaks.

"Why?" she asked.

"I beg your pardon?"

"Why are you concerned about me? What about me bring you to me?"

Aya looked into Sephiroth's aquamarine orbs.

"Is it my body?" she asked "Or is it what I am?"

"I suppose we are cut from the same cloth. Though you are a protector, I am merely a destroyer. We have many things alike, though who we are is unique."

"What do you mean?"

Sephiroth cupped Aya's face in his large hand.

"No matter how many times you say you're that monster, you'll always be you." he said.

"I'm me?"

"Yes, you're Aya Brea, you always have been."

Aya looked at Sephiroth. What did she see in those gems of eyes? Love? Lust? Passion? Sadness? Sorrow? Or was it sympathy?

"Why are you helping me?" she asked.

Sephiroth chuckled.

"I told you before," he said "this isn't me, this is merely a depiction."

Sephiroth snapped his fingers, and Aya saw flames of crimson behind him.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Aya woke in darkness and on sheets of white.

"What the…?" she wondered.

Aya looked around, noticing the walls of a typical hospital. She heard a groan and saw Daniel in a chair, fast asleep. Aya smirked, not surprised about the older man. She looked at a clock and read 4:13.

_"Well, might as well get some sleep, even though I've been out for awhile."_ she thought.

Aya turned on her side, getting comfortable.

"I wonder if I should thank him or kill him when I see him next?" she mumbled to herself.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The person in question was on the top of a building, slaying an NMC with a flick of his sword. Unexpectedly, he felt an odd sensation in his hand. Looking at it, he saw the area he was cut begin to glow.

"Well, it seems you are fighting for dominance to the very end." he said as though he was having a conversation with a person "Tenacity, I enjoy that."

The man cackled and thought about a certain blond.

"Yes, I love tenacity." he said "She shows it all the time."

Sephiroth smirked.

"I wonder how the trial went. Perhaps she'll see how much we're alike now"


	6. His God My God

Chapter Six His God, My God

Aya woke early in the morning, still in darkness. She groaned and stretched, her hospital gown almost betraying her modesty. The blond looked around for her clothes, seeing the sheen of black leather thrown over a chair.

Aya slipped out of her sheets and went over to the chair, discarding her hospital gown. She put on her jeans, then her shirt and jacket.

"Well, I see you've no qualms with getting dressed while men watch."

Aya immediately turned her head to her right and saw a pair of blazing green eyes. Moonlight shone through the window, illuminating Aya's silver-haired visitor. She merely smirked, used to Sephiroth's presence by now.

"How long have you been standing there?" she asked as she freed her hair from her collar.

"An hour, two, does it matter?"

"You still saw me naked."

"No, you were wearing undergarments, though I did see quite a bit."

"I see you've no regard for gentlemanly behavior."

"It depends, though I suppose you should consider it as a form of flattery."

Sephiroth ambled over to Aya, his heavy boots somehow not even making the slightest noise on the tile floor. The exotic man placed his hand on Aya's cheek. She flinched a bit, but wasn't necessarily disgusted.

"You don't mind?" Sephiroth asked.

"Tch, I'm used to it by now. You're like a walking libido."

"Is that so?"

C-CLICK

Sephiroth now had the barrel of a forty-five caliber gun pointed at the back of his head.

"Put your hands in the air and turn around, slowly."

Sephiroth merely rolled his eyes and turned on his heel, facing Daniel.

"You know, most people who warn their target, usually do not pull the trigger." Sephiroth said.

"Shut the fuck up, you crazed fem-face."

"Pull the bloody trigger, if you want to."

"I will."

"Daniel, it's no use." Aya warned "Rupert shot him in the head in the sewers and all that happened was he pulled out the bullet."

"What?"

Sephiroth then grabbed Daniel's gun so fast that his movement couldn't be seen.

"What the…?" Daniel wondered.

Sephiroth twirled the gun in his hands expertly.

"I thought you hated guns." Aya commented.

"Just because I hate them doesn't mean I don't know how to use them."

Daniel then unholstered a second gun he had.

"Drop the fuckin' weapon." he ordered.

"How about we see who's the more skilled at a quick-draw?"

"What?"

Sephiroth let his hands rest at his side.

"One." he began.

"Wait…"

"Two."

"Just stop you-!"

"Three."

Sephiroth brought the gun up, though he didn't aim for Daniel. Instead, he brought it up to his own skull and pulled the trigger. Sephiroth merely moved his neck a bit from the impact, seemingly uninjured. Daniel's jaw dropped, but Aya was used to Sephiroth's insanity by now so she didn't even flinch.

"Why are you surprised?" he asked "I never said what the target was."

"The entire fucking hospital heard that."

"No, everyone in here is quite asleep, I merely happened to miss you. Speaking of which, hibernate."

Sephiroth placed his palm on Daniel's forehead and the older man fell asleep. He fell heavily onto the floor and just snored. Sephiroth unloaded the clip in the gun and threw it on Daniel's chest.

"Lord, he's bloody annoying." Sephiroth commented.

The androgynous man sat down on a chair, crossing his long, lithe legs. Aya sat down on the bed, looking at Sephiroth.

"What is it?" he asked.

"What did you do to me?"

"I mixed my blood with yours. I can feel the results."

"Why?"

"I thought you might understand me a bit better if I did so. Also, it might stop your insistence on not using your powers and believing you're a monster."

"Whenever I use those powers, people get hurt."

Sephiroth smirked and placed his chin on top of intertwined fingers.

"You're very interesting person, Ms. Brea."

"You're still a psycho. I don't think anyone in this world thinks like you."

"Probably because I'm not from this world."

"Where are you from?"

Sephiroth removed his chin from his fingers and drummed his fingers on the arm of the chair.

"I am from a world not unlike this one. Though I suppose mine has more expanses of nature while this one has more cities. Mine is also more highly advanced and the amount of creatures like the ones here are far more numerous."

"How'd you get here then?"

"I've not the slightest notion, though I don't care."

"Why not?"

"No reason. My previous life had far too many memories I'd sooner forget. I'm content with just enjoying myself for the rest of my days."

"Were you confused or weirded out when you came here?"

"No, mostly just bored. In my own world it was rare not to encounter beasts and such. I was bored until I started seeing these NMCs around. They entertain me, though they don't present a challenge and I again grew bored. That is, until I met you."

Sephiroth shifted his position, now slumping into the chair.

"What about me intrigued you?" Aya asked "Was it my powers?"

"That was one. I've not seen magic powers since I came here and to see a person so suddenly use them, and merely one, highly intrigued me."

"Magic?"

"Yes, those powers with fire, ice, and lightning are magic."

"Sounds like a damned game."

"To you, perhaps, but in my world such things are tangible and quite real."

Sephiroth presented his palm, electric sparks jumping from it.

"Most people have to use spheres called materia to even dream of using such things. I did too, at first. Then I had a spout of insanity for about five years."

"How'd that happen?"

"I was in the military, a general."

"What's with the mane of hair?"

"I don't think many people were willing to comment upon it. Anyway, I found a library of documents concerning myself. After reading them, I proceeded to torch the entire town I was in."

"What happened then?"

"I was injured and slipped into a comatose state. Then I was able to do something rather intriguing."

"What's that?"

"Astral Projection. I cast my spirit outside my body and then did a few deeds to accomplish my goal."

"Your goal?"

"To become a god."

Aya blinked hard.

"Yes, rather shocking." Sephiroth commented "However, I was thwarted and now I find myself here."

Sephiroth crossed his legs in a different manner and rested his face in his right hand. Aya rubbed her temples.

"So, you were a psychopath." she said.

"Yes."

"What are you doing now?"

"What mean you?"

"Obviously you're still alive for some reason, so aren't you curious?"

"No, I don't believe in fate. If I was kept in the world of the living for a purpose, then I don't care what it is."

"Well, you're rather simple."

"Say what you will. I'm merely going to do what I want and what I want is to live my life."

Sephiroth stood and Aya observed him.

"What was with putting your blood in me then?" she asked.

"I said before, you and I are quite alike. That transfusion I gave you has boosted your powers quite a bit. See what you can do now."

Sephiroth began walking out of the room.

"Where are you going?" Aya asked.

"Going to my home to fall asleep while watching the mysteries of _Evangelion_."

Aya cocked her head to one side while watching Sephiroth leaving.

"_Evangelion__?"_

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Aya was discharged from the hospital in the afternoon for tests. None of the doctors understood how she recovered from such a strange condition in only a night. Aya was aware of what the change had been caused by, though she told no one.

Aya arrived in her apartment when Eve was coming home from school. Her sister noticed how Aya seemed to be fine despite her condition earlier.

"Man, you're like a cockroach." Eve commented.

"Whaddya mean?"

"Nothing seems to kill you. You've been through hell and back and you're okay."

"Hell and back indeed." Aya mumbled.

"What's that?"

"Nothing. I wonder when I'm going back to work."

"Probably when the next monsters show up."

"Probably. They have a habit of showing up at inopportune moments though."

"I bet you're glad you stopped dating."

"No kidding."

Aya went into the fridge and took out a soda, drinking it. Eve chuckled a bit.

"What?" Aya asked.

"You guzzle like a man. Maybe that's why you ended things with Kyle; you were the more masculine presence."

Aya rolled her eyes at her juvenile sister's comment and kept drinking. The older woman sat down on the couch.

"You are getting old though." Eve continued "You'll be forty in a few years, and then what?"

"Your point being…?"

"I'm just saying that you'll be…less desirable. I mean, I want a little niece or nephew."

Aya sighed and set her drink on the coffee table.

"Eve, I realized after Kyle that I don't need a romantic relationship or a child to define my existence. I never showed any interest in it, even when I was a kid."

"That sounds a bit sad."

"Maybe to you, but you're not me. You won't understand, but just accept the fact that it's happening."

"I still think it's sad."

"Think what you well."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Aya was in bed, reading a book, when she heard a knock.

"What?" she said.

"I'm going out; I'll be back before twelve."

"You better or it's your ass."

"I know, bye."

"Bye."

Aya heard the front door open and then shut. Aya kept reading her book, getting engrossed in it. Her eyes lazily moved left to right as she read the paragraphs. Aya had been reading a lot since her relationship with Kyle. She supposed that it was a way to get away from reality, to keep her mind off things. She read a lot of medical and science stuff, mostly just to keep up with Maeda in conversations. She didn't understand a lot of the text, but at least she knew it.

Aya put her book away and rubbed her eyes which felt dry and strained from reading. Aya sighed and looked at her hands.

"Am I still afraid?"

Aya pressed her hand to her right and blinked twice, contemplating what had traversed in the past few hours. Had she actually believed her own words? Or was she merely lying to herself to make herself feel better? Something was wrong, but Aya didn't know what it was.

Aya's cell phone rang, breaking her thoughts. She looked at the screen, recognizing the number as Sephiroth's.

"What is it?" she asked.

"Ms. Brea, have you a younger sister?"

"Why?" Aya growled.

"Don't worry, I haven't done anything to her. However, I wouldn't say the same of a rather large monster stalking her from the underground."

"Where are you?"

"I'm in the park, outside of it to be precise, on the northern side."

"I'll be right there."

Aya got out of bed and began getting dressed and getting prepared to protect her sister.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Sephiroth put his cell phone in his pocket and viewed the park from a motorcycle he was sitting on. He observed Eve and a small cadre of friends as they went through the paths, unaware of the beast stalking them from below.

"It's hard to believe they're related." Sephiroth mumbled to himself.

Sephiroth got off his motorcycle and began following Eve, though he stuck to the trees to avoid detection.

_"Well Aya, let's see how far you're willing to go to protect a loved one."_

Sephiroth stalked in the shadows, feeling the NMC's presence in the earth and its bloodlust. His eyes lazily scanned the area, seeing no other NMCs, but quite a few crowds.

_"It seems this world is becoming mine. People need to start becoming warriors for their sakes."_

Sephiroth kept observing Eve.

_"She's far more cheerful than Aya is by far. Are they truly sisters? Something feels a bit different about Eve, more as though she's a daughter than a sister. Interesting."_

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Aya was racing down the streets of New York with her flashing lights on and frantically dialing a number into her cell phone.

"C'mon, c'mon…."

"Yo."

"Pierce! Get mobilized and get your ass down to Central Park, now."

"Whoa, whoa, slow down, what's up?"

"Big NMC in the park and my sister's there along with a lot people if I know this city."

"Are you sure about that? Where'd you hear that?"

"From Mr. Psycho, so it's gotta be true. Look, if you don't get down here then I'm gonna have your ass on a platter."

"Alright, alright, I'll get everyone down there."

Aya hung up her cell phone and put her foot down on the gas.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Sephiroth closed his eyes to find Aya's presence.

_"Will she make it here in time? Hmmm, no, looks as though I'll have to keep this blasted creature occupied until then. Oh well, more fun for me."_

Sephiroth summoned his _nodachi_ to his side and pressed against the_ tsuba_ to draw the blade out a bit.

_"Come, I've little patience as it is and I would rather not be the cause of the young lady's fright."_

Sephiroth smirked, anticipating blood and battle


	7. Single, Black Wing

Chapter Seven Single, Black Wing

Sephiroth kept crouched, his legs coiled like springs and his mind set for battle. His sword's blade was pushed out slightly from his thumb and his free hand was ready to take hold of the handle in an instant.

_"Make haste, Aya. I'm not sure if even I can take this blasted beast alone."_

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Aya arrived at Central Park rather loudly. She was driving at high speed and breaking every driving law conceived. If it had not been for her sirens blaring, Aya would have been pulled over several streets down.

Aya ran a red and kept racing down the streets and full-speed and then saw the familiar trees of Central Park. Aya hit the brakes, sliding on the road and just outside of the gates. Aya grabbed her Gunblade and then ran into the park. However, an officer noticed that she was carrying a weapon.

"Hey, wait you-!"

However, Aya was well out of earshot within a few seconds and looking for any sign of Sephiroth.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Speaking of which, the man in question was still in his same posture and had his eyes on Eve. In fact, it was very likely that he had not moved at all in the last few minutes. He was growing impatient, which was quite a surprise to his stock.

_"I might as well start this."_

However, Sephiroth noticed Aya out of the corner of his eye and readjusted himself.

_"Fashionably late, I presume?"_

Aya ran at full speed, seeing her sister.

"Eve!" she yelled.

Aya's younger sister looked down the street, seeing Aya run full-bore.

"Sis?" Eve wondered.

"Run! There's something under you!"

"What are you talking about?"

On cue, a series of tentacles burst from the ground and began flailing about. Eve screamed at the top of her lungs, but was quickly quieted as a lightning-fast blade sliced through the appendages.

"This goes without saying," said Sephiroth "but retreat to somewhere safe until further notice."

Sephiroth cleared Eve's path with a spell.

"Now!"

Eve ran as fast as she could and past her sister. Aya's eyes were affixed into a glare at the creature below the ground, full of rage.

Sephiroth was fending off the limbs reaching for him, cutting them and spilling their blood on the ground. He dodged one, flipping and immediately had to dodge another.

"I hate the large brutes." he mumbled.

A gunshot was heard and a large shell ripped through a tentacle, smashing the grass beneath it.

"Get out of there, now." Aya growled.

"If you insist, though I need to inflict a small bit of damage first."

Sephiroth stepped off of a tentacle, going airborne. When he reached the apex of his ascent, he held his sword high with one hand.

"_ Jingoku no Ame!"_

Sephiroth swung his blade and send a black wave downward. The blow caused a wave of acidic liquid to rain down on the creature below, searing it with the solvent. A scream was heard as Sephiroth landed next to Aya.

"That was rather unnecessary." Aya commented.

"Much is in life, but we do it anyway."

Sephiroth noticed various creatures slinking around the trees.

"Well, it seems they've brought a brigade this time." he commented.

"Let 'em come."

"Which do you prefer? The large brute in front of you, or the small army behind?"

"I'll take the thing that tried to hurt Eve."

"I suppose I'll take care of the scum."

"You gotta problem with that?" Aya glared.

"No, not at all, milady."

Both adults stepped towards their battles. Sephiroth held his blade at eye-level, the point of it at a GOLEM's chest.

"Come."

The GOLEM did so, going for Sephiroth. The man stepped to the side, but the GOLEM swung its laser-blade at him. However, Sephiroth grasped the blade with his bared hands, though not being burnt. Sephiroth smirked and then gave the GOLEM's arm a firm tug, ripping the arm from the shoulder socket. The GOLEM was then stabbed in the head and sliced horizontally.

Sephiroth moved to his next target, a mutated tiger. He leapt over the beast as razor-sharp claws attempted to slice him. He cut whilst he leapt and killed the creature instantly. A set of fangs were upon Sephiroth, but he shoved his hand into the beat's mouth and burned it from the outside. Sephiroth confidently smirked.

"Tch, not a challenge."

Sephiroth narrowly dodged a GOLEM's hand, a scratch appearing on his face. Sephiroth read the movements of the GOLEM without difficulty, though the thing was still quite fast. He then felt a laser-blade cut his coat and he leapt onto a tree. He looked over his shoulder at the cut.

"Blast, this thing was expensive." he grumbled.

A laser-blade cut a limb Sephiroth stood on and he retreated again. The two GOLEMs charged at Sephiroth, but he was in an odd stance. His left leg was out, right leg inward and almost touching the ground.

"_Soudai__ Kaihou!"_

Sephiroth lunged forward, hitting the GOLEM with the laser-blade in the abdomen and then ripped upward with his sword. Without stopping, Sephiroth spun, striking the GOLEM in the waist, stomach, and chest. The GOLEM burst in a bloody geyser and stained the ground with its fluid.

The other GOLEM turned on its camouflage, appearing invisible. Sephiroth wasn't fooled. He merely played the fool and waited for something to come. That something was in the form of a strong hand gripping the back of his neck and attempting to lift him of the ground. However, the GOLEM's hand was sliced off and then it received a kick to the face from Sephiroth's powerful leg.

The GOLEM went crashing, its neck broken and face crushed. Sephiroth landed and looked elsewhere, seeing he still had many things to be rid of.

"How bothersome." he mumbled.

Sephiroth sheathed his blade and faced a wall of creatures descending on him. He remained steely, not moving an inch. A GOLEM came first, raising his arm to strike Sephiroth down. However, the GOLEM was sliced in two by Sephiroth's now unsheathed blade. Sephiroth didn't stop just there, he kept moving and his blade began to violently glow.

"_Nin__ no doki!"_

What happened next was titanic. A vortex of light began shredding along the ground towards the NMCs and they could do nothing to stop it. The cyclone reduced the creatures to nothing but atoms within moments. Sephiroth sheathed his blade and looked at Aya's battle.

"She seems to be holding up well. I wonder how much of her rage can be suppressed?"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Not much of Aya's inner anger was being held back. She had the eyes of a berserker and the voice of a mute. She didn't yell or even speak; she merely wanted to kill this thing that had threatened someone she loved.

The creature seemed slow, its movements like a slow-motion part in a film. She slashed at tentacles, putrid blood and waste falling to the ground as she hacked and slashed at the beast. Screeches pierced the air, but Aya didn't hear them, she merely cut and fought.

A tentacle came from Aya's blind spot and struck her, sending her far in one direction. The beast went for a second strike, but Aya was up again and didn't seem to care for any wounds she had sustained. Instead, she just pointed her hand at the creature.

"Burn, you bastard."

Blood-red flames shot from Aya's fingertips and scorched with such an intense heat that branches twenty feet away were singed. Sephiroth raised an eyebrow at Aya's outburst, admiring her sudden lack of reluctance to use her powers.

The beast went for another strike, but Aya merely leapt over a tentacle, making a jump of at least fifteen feet. Bringing her gunblade down on the appendage, she pinned it to the ground and then set the entire thing ablaze. The beast screeched as Aya withdrew her weapon from it and readied for another assault. Brushing her hair out of her face, Aya glared.

The creature shrieked, wondering how a mere woman could damage it so severely. A huge eye erupted from the ground, blinking at Aya. Aya just sighed, bored.

"You're one ugly bastard."

The creature seemed to glare, its eye beginning to glow. Aya raised her gunblade and charged, but then she saw a monolithic blast of light that began ripping apart the landscape.

"Shi-!"

"It seems my lady is rather careless."

A barrier was erected, splitting the beam down the middle and sending it away from Sephiroth and Aya. Aya, slightly annoyed, glared at Sephiroth.

"Stay out of my way."

"Not when you're about to be vaporized."

"Shut up and stay out of my way."

"Quite proud." Sephioth sighed.

Sephiroth lowered the barrier, allowing Aya to fight once more. And fight she did. The beast was eviscerated quite nicely, the gunblade flashing and slicing with odd-colored blood splashing onto the ground in an artful fashion.

"Just die, damn you!"

Despite the damage Aya did to the NMC, it refused to die. A tentacle, more precisely a stump of one, struck Aya in the back, sending her into a tree. Tired, she didn't move.

Sephiroth smirked, more than relieved that he could act now. Unsheathing his sword, he stepped towards the creature. The single eye looked upon him.

"Let me show you something of great power."

The creature snapped one of its tentacles at Sephiroth, though he evaded it with little difficulty. Swiping his sword, more of the appendage was sliced off.

"_Shichikami__ no Funzen!"_

What happened next could not have been humanly possible. Sephiroth moved at a level of speed that seemed too fast to see. What seemed to happen with the naked was something that couldn't be seen slashing at the beast, its limbs falling and even more blood staining the ground. When Sephiroth ended the attack, the creature was miraculously still alive.

"Well, you're a stubborn one." he smirked.

Sephiroth sheathed his sword.

"Very well, I'll show you this."

Tensing, Sephiroth readied himself.

_"Sakurasen."_

One strike, that's all it was, merely a simple strike and then the NMC vanished. Sheathing his blade, Sephiroth went over to Aya, who had passed out a few minutes before.

"Milady is asleep, it seems."

Sirens were heard, lights flashing into the night.

"So, your cadre is a bit late. Oh well, no matter."

Sephiroth cradled Aya, her weight being nothing in his arms. Sephiroth smirked, taking Aya into the night with an odd, black wing jutting from his back.


	8. Two Angels at Genesis

Chapter Eight Two Angels at Genesis

Aya slept in a room she did not know. Silken sheets at her body, she clutched them tightly. Blue eyes opened, long lashes fluttering and blinking. She attempted to sit up and then felt soreness at her chest.

"Agh, damn it."

Aya then realized she was in an unfamiliar room. It smelled of incense and seemed very cool and soothing. She fumbled for a lamp, finding the switch and then turning it on. The entire room was black. Bed, drawers, hardwood floors, and even simple things such as flowers were black. She inspected her chest, noticing that it had been wrapped with bandages. She lost interest in sitting up and just lied down.

"Oh, you're awake."

Aya turned her head, noticing Sephiroth in a long, black robe with a white sash around his waist. He was drying his long mane on a black towel. He sat at the end of the bed, setting his towel down.

"How are your injuries?" he asked.

"I was injured?"

"Yes, you had three broken ribs when I treated you. I can tell now that you're completely healed." he lied down on the bed.

"Did you…?" Aya pointed to her chest.

"Rip open your shirt? Yes, I was required to if I was to treat your injuries."

"Er, thanks."

"You are most welcome, milady."

Aya rolled over in Sephiroth's bed, away from the light.

"What time is it?" she asked.

"A bit before dawn."

"Have you been watching me?"

"Yes, sleep matters little to me."

"I hope Eve is alright."

"She'll be fine since she was able to flee."

"Hey, I'm her sister so I have to be worried about her."

"Family only matters as much as you want it to."

Sephiroth walked over to the shutters, opening them so the lights of the city were seen. Aya shifted again and looked at Sephiroth. He was still staring at the lights.

"There are so many out there." he said.

"What are?"

"Those monsters you speak of. Your organization is doing little to make their numbers dwindle."

"That's-"

"Not possible? Quite the contrary, their numbers are even greater when I first came here."

Aya stared at Sephiroth who did the same with her. Jade and sapphire met, one of them calm and the other shocked. Sephiroth sat next to Aya, his back to her.

"This world is becoming like my own." he explained "These beasts will become commonplace and hunt as freely as they wish."

"Is this the end of the world?"

"No, not in the slightest. However, a will to survive must be required to live strongly in this world now."

"Survival of the fittest?"

"Yes, the strong may live and the weak may die."

Surprisingly, Aya did a sudden outburst, grabbing a glass and attempting to throw it at Sephiroth. However, Sephiroth grabbed the glass effortlessly and then pinned Aya to his bed with his arms. Aya struggled, though the soreness from her injuries and the fact that Sephiroth had strength like a beast didn't help.

"Are you finished having your bloody tantrum?" he asked.

"Screw you, I thought you were different, but you believe in survival of the fittest? Only tyrants think that way."

"I believe in strong wills, not strong bodies."

"Wha-?"

"Shut up and listen. A strong will can make a difference in anything. It can provide a better shield than steel and a stronger blade than the finest smith can make. I thought you would know that better than anyone."

"!"

Aya just turned her face away from Sephiroth, not wanting to see his powerful, jade gaze. He was right, he was always right. No matter what happened, he was always right. God, she must be a child in his eyes. Then, she felt an odd sensation, like a tongue sliding along her cheek.

"Lord, letting tears fall." Sephiroth said "Quite odd for a woman such as you."

"What?"

"You're very strong, and I like that."

Aya just sighed, getting a bit tired of Sephiroth lying on top of her. The silver-haired man licked tears away from her face again.

"What are you, a dog?" Aya asked.

"I prefer to think of myself as a cat. They're far more elegant."

"Well, I hate having slobber on my face, so stop it."

"I beg to differ. Your body is responding to me rather nicely."

"Wha?"

"I know that aura. It's something I've felt many times while you were in battle, but this time it's for a different purpose."

"Stop fucking with me."

Sephiroth bent his neck down, capturing Aya's lips. She didn't do anything for a moment, she even resisted. However, she gave in after a minute, which pleased Sephiroth a great deal. He seemed to do that confident smirk of his again. Aya gained a bit of leverage and put Sephiroth on bottom by toppling him with her leg. Soon, all reason was lost

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Aya didn't remember much of what happened over the next few hours. All she remembered was sweat, bodies clashing, and some sort of state of enlightenment at the end. Most fools would have confused this as some sort of love, but she knew it wasn't that. It was merely bodily instinct and primal feelings exploding in a manner that fit them perfectly.

Aya opened her eyes in the room slightly illuminated by dim morning light. Her eyes traveled up a pale torso, eventually arriving at the effeminate face of Sephiroth. His expression was nonexistent, revealing nothing. This was completely different from his usual faces of either glaring or arrogantly smirking. It was a bit refreshing. Aya rested her head against Sephiroth's chest, sighing.

"Is milady dissatisfied?" said a baritone voice.

"No." Aya's eyes met the barely open ones of Sephiroth.

"Well then, I'm glad."

Sephiroth fumbled around, looking for his robe. He then realized that Aya had ripped it in two.

"Remind me not to aggravate you again." he said.

"I thought you would have thought of that by now."

"Professor Gast always said I never was one for following orders."

Sephiroth stood, getting dressed in his usual black attire, though he wasn't wearing footwear. Aya just lied down, her body covered by a thin sheet. Sephiroth popped his neck and then drew open the curtain he had closed a few minutes earlier. Light poured in, the sun's weak rays burning away mid-morning mist.

"Get dressed." Sephiroth ordered.

"Why?"

"I refuse to let you walk around my home in the nude."

"I didn't think you would mind."

"I don't take to breakfast what I take to bed."

"Yummy."

Aya didn't really want to do anything but sleep right now, but her current roommate's assertiveness forced her to get up and put her clothes on. She observed Sephiroth's apartment once more, seeing how everything was in a sort of Japanese feel with low tables, black mats on the floor, and even a green-tea set on the kitchen counter. Odd for a bachelor's apartment to be so clean, though Sephiroth seemed like a rather hygienic type.

"How can you afford all this?" Aya asked.

"I believe what's on my desk answers your question."

Aya observed a computer on a desk, its monitor showing a series of numbers and accounts.

"You hack into banks?" she asked.

"Yes, I'm so good now that I can break through the codes in a few minutes."

"I should arrest you for this."

"How hurt I am, your savior being taken in." Sephiroth brushed his hair out of his face.

"Don't flatter yourself that much."

"I flatter myself all the time." Sephiroth smirked.

Sephiroth poured himself some green tea, sipping the hot liquid. Aya sat across from him at his kitchen counter.

"What exactly happens now?" Aya asked.

"What we wish to do and what happens after that."

"Vague as always."

Sephiroth always made sense in an odd sort of way. Vague, open-ended answers that had hidden meanings were his karma. The man stood, stretching.

"Let's go for a walk."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Sephiroth and Aya walked on a bridge, Aya on the sidewalk and Sephiroth on the rail. Drivers in cars would occasionally look at the silver-haired man, stunned at how someone could have such good balance. Aya gave up stopping him from doing so because of his stubbornness.

Aya sighed, not really giving a flying fuck about things anymore. Her angst had been obliterated a few hours ago with Sephiroth's extreme bluntness and his overwhelming logic. Aya sighed, her breath hot mist in the air.

"So, this starts a new age, eh?" she said.

"Something of the sort. I think it could be quite a bit of fun."

"Maybe to a psychopath like you."

"I have a theory that all strong people are a bit psychotic to survive."

Sephiroth stepped off the bridge's rail due to the structure ending.

"You know, we could use someone like you in MIST." Aya said.

"I'm aware. I just hate having experiments ran on me." Sephiroth cringed.

"You could train me. You seem like you'd be good as a fighter."

"I am. I'll think about it."

Sephiroth turned on his heel, walking with Aya following behind him. The afternoon breeze blew Sephiroth's hair to the side.

"I feel at home in this world, now that I know how it will be like." he said.

"I feel more at ease now."

"Why? Because you know this is inevitable?"

"No, because I know that it doesn't mean it's all that bad."

"Well, as long as our blood remains unspoiled. Or unless humans get over their genetic stubbornness and choose to evolve."

"I feel like this is Genesis."

"It is, in a way."

The two strode on, just living and watching. What goes on from here, is for them to decide.

The end

Notes: Alright, it's done. I know it just ends, but screw it, that's how I planned it. This was something on my mind literally since I played FFVII and PE back in grade school.

What was the meaning of the story? What was the whole theme? Eh? There was a theme? Who ever said that any sort of writing had to mean anything or go anywhere or have a plot? This was just happenings in Aya's world with a little interloper involved

Anyway, so ends this little experiment of mine for general/drama fiction. I think it turned out decent. This was my little test run before I start something with absolutely no action in it and just lots of drama. In the mean time, enjoy my DMC and KH fics. Ciao!


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